Portales Junior High cafeteria set for renovations

PORTALES — The Portales Junior High School cafeteria is set to receive renovations in 2018 which, according to its designers, will greatly increase functionality and safety for students.

The Portales Municipal Schools Board of Education on Monday approved the design phase of the project, presented by Project Manager Michael Rael of construction firm Nick Griego and Sons and Tina Reames, owner of Cherry/See/Reames Architects.

Reames told the council several architectural improvements would be made, including a covered courtyard and sliding gates separating the cafeteria from the parking lot.

Superintendent Johnnie Cain said construction is set to last from February to August, with students eating lunch in the school’s gymnasium in the interim.

The district will not set a price for the project until the board’s January meeting, but has budgeted “about $1 million,” according to Cain.

Also at Monday’s meeting in the L.C. Cozzens Administrative Offices:

• Board members approved an agreement with the Gordian Group to assist the district in filing its own job order contracts.

• Board members approved 16 budget adjustment requests, including an increase of $6,929 in the bond building fund and an increase of $9,680 in the operational fund.

Finance Director Sarah Stubbs said the high volume of adjustments were due to a request by the New Mexico Public Education Department that the district budget any additional revenue it receives during the year.

“That’s what these first (increases) are, are just items that we’ve received more of,” she said.