DIXFIELD – While bids for SAD 21’s new 380-pupil elementary school won’t be opened for two weeks, directors hired a Belgrade man to oversee the $14 million project.

At Tuesday night’s special board meeting, Carl Cook was chosen as the district’s representative, Superintendent Thomas Ward said Wednesday afternoon by phone in Augusta.

“This guy is very good. We feel he’s the best,” Ward said without explaining why.

In school construction terms, an owner’s representative monitors project progress and checks architectural plans to ensure that contractors and subcontractors are doing the job the way it was designed.

“If we end up in court, he’s your major eyewitness. He’s my eyes and ears. Hiring an owner’s rep allows a superintendent to run a school district and not spend all his or her time on the job site,” Ward said.

The only drawbacks to hiring Cook, whose going rate is $70 an hour, is the state’s unwillingness to pay more than $40 an hour, and only allowing him to work eight hours a week, which is all the state allows for a project the size of SAD 21’s, Ward said.

“The state would only pay up to $50,000, so, anything above that comes out of our owner’s reserve account. What we’re finding is the going rate for highly experienced owner’s reps is about $70 per hour,” Ward said.

The superintendent told directors they could only end up paying Cook the budgeted $50,000 and not have to dip into the reserve fund.

But, should a problem develop with a contractor or subcontractor during construction, it could end up costing the district more money.

“If we’re only getting someone for eight hours a week, we want someone with his expertise,” Ward said.

Ward and the board are expected to open school bids on Thursday, Nov. 9. Barring unforeseen complications, like having to rebid the project if offers come in too high, construction at the Peru site could start as early as Monday, Nov. 20, with a projected opening date of fall 2008 or after Christmas recess in January 2009.