MAST forced to wait once again
Reconstruction of the historic former barracks at Fort Hancock into indoor NJROTC facilities for students at MAST was put off one more time as the Monmouth County Vocational School District rejected the two bids it received and reviewed this week.
The board indicated it would once again advertise for bids to have the work on the heavily destroyed building completed but did not indicate when that would take place.
The project, which has been in the planning and development stage for more than four years, was put off again when the two bids received were rejected.
Hall Construction Co. had submitted a bid of $19,788,000 to rebuild the facility, including both the indoor drill area to accommodate NJROTC formations and practice, as well as an office, classrooms, bathrooms and showers.
That bid was rejected since the board determined it contained material defects sufficient to require the rejection as nonresponsive, in failing to provide a Consent of Surety to meet bid requirements.
A bid of $21,637,000 submitted by Joseph A. Natoli Construction Corporation was rejected apparently because the board retained the right to reject all bids if the lowest of those received “substantially exceeds the boards’ appropriation” for the construction. The board had said in the past there was $15 million set for the construction of Building 23, the former barracks which faces Pershing Field.
In adopting the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting, the board indicated it was also authorizing business administrator Kelly Brazelton to re-advertise the project. However, the administrator did not indicate whether the project would be re-advertised to the same plans and specifications or whether modifications to the original plans would be made to allow for less work and therefore lower costs.
The resolution adopted by the county school board said both bids “substantially exceeded the costs estimates for the goods or services and therefore were rejected and MS. Hazleton authorized to re-advertise, although no date was set for that either.
Based on all the delays in the years since the acquisition of two buildings on Fort Hancock to enhance and invigorate the highly successful NJROTC program for all students at MAST, it appears even should bids be sought and accepted within weeks, construction would not be able to start until fall should the ospreys return to the nest that still rests atop the tallest portion of the building, whose other walls have been destroyed.
No reason has been given by the National Park Service why the osprey nest cannot be removed before the return of the migratory birds, who cannot be disturbed during nesting season. School District business administrator Kelly Brazelton also indicated she does not know the reason why it cannot be removed and has not received any response to her queries to the Park Service concerning that.
The first of the two buildings leased to the county school district, Building 56, a one story building near Building 23, is substantially completed and currently in use to house the more than $1 million in US Navy equipment, supplies and uniforms that the MAST students rely on, which had previously been stored in a trailer.
Without an indoor drill area, the MAST Cadets will continue to have all their drills on Pershing Field in all seasons and will continue to change from athletic equipment to wearing apparel after programs without the benefit of showers.
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