Bamberg School District One officials got a step closer Monday night to building a new elementary school (K-6) and making significant renovations to the high school and middle school by hiring a construction management firm to oversee the $29 million dollar project.

Bamberg School District One Trustees approved a recommendation from the district’s selection committee to hire Columbia, SC. and Charleston, SC-based Cumming SMG Brownstone Construction Group to oversee the district’s building project. The company will oversee all three building projects in the district.

As the Owner’s Representative-Cumming SMG Brownstone will select the architectural firm for the district and will be on board with the architect and district committee to select the construction company.

“We have about two more steps before we get to where we want to be,” Bamberg School District One Superintend Phyllis Schwarting said.

Cumming SMG Brownstone was selected from a field of seven companies vying for the project, which is scheduled to take 30-months to complete. The district was informed that a fair price for overseeing a building project of this scope and duration would be approximately $400,000, which the district offered the company. The company’s asking price was $424,000, but agreed to meet the district’s offer.

“They did an excellent job in their presentation. They do a considerable amount of work throughout South Carolina. Price was not an issue, they will meet our price,” Schwarting said.

Also during the meeting:

. District One Trustees gave their approval to an amended 2010-11 budget of $13, 167,643.18. District One Finance Director Devon Furr noted that the budget had to be amended because of an increase in the state retirement rate from 12.8 percent to 13.2 percent or a total of .4 percent. She noted the district had to use $83,517.99 from the fund balance to balance its budget.

Along with the increase in the retirement rate, the district’s EEA Technical Assistance allocation was “not as much as expected” and the district had more need than expected. Furr noted that the $83, 517.99 was actually a decrease of $55,000 from the original figure of $149,000.

. District One Trustees gave first reading approval to the following Policies–GCF Professional Staff Hiring; GDF-Support Staff Hiring; GCG-Part-Time and Substitute Professional Staff Employment; JN-Volunteers and IJNDB-Technology Resources (Internet, Facebook) Acceptable Use Policy. The first four policies changes are to bring the district in compliance with federal requirements that all new employees and volunteers must be checked on the National Sex Offender Registry. Two readings of these policies are required.