FISHER — The Fisher school board rejected all of the bids it received last month for an addition to and the retrofitting of the junior/senior high, as well as the remodeling of the building for the bus barn. After looking over the revised plans for the bus garage from architect John Bishop of Farnsworth, the board also voted to seek new bids for that project alone.

Bishop went over his design to see where possible savings could be found in the gutting and retrofitting of the building purchased to be the new bus barn. Restrooms, an office, a break room and washing and maintenance bays must be created. The remainder will be used for unheated bus storage. Bishop estimates he found $140,000 in savings over the bids from last month. He did that by eliminating the heated storage/maintenance area the board hoped to create and making other changes like changing the drive into the building to two lanes instead of three, having one main entrance door instead of two or three, taking out some parking areas, lighting, a finished floor in the restroom and voiding the need for some plumbing and ductwork. Bishop estimates the project now to cost $460,000.

The bus barn bids could be accepted by the end of July. Superintendent Barb Thompson is hopeful the county will approve a special use permit for the barn July 14 and construction could start by fall.

As for the rest of the project, redesign and rebidding could take six months. Rebidding in December of this year may bring a more favorable bidding climate. That moves renovation and construction of the school to a year from now and a year later than hoped. Bids last month came in $1.5 million over estimates.

The addition as planned will include new classrooms as well as a fitness facility that the village of Fisher will help pay for, $556,000 and the community will be allowed to use.

The addition as envisioned now will be a wing for the junior high students that will include 10 classrooms and a computer and science lab. There will also be a new kitchen and new restrooms accessible to outdoor playing fields.

The project will also include renovation of the existing building, which means new electrical and mechanical systems and other updating to promote energy conservation.

Thompson has said a portion of the retrofitting work will be paid with health, life and safety funds. In November the board voted to issue $6.1 million in general obligation bonds that will be financed by the county 1 percent sales tax for capital projects.