The Simi Valley Unified School District Board of Education is considering hiring a construction management firm to provide the board with more accurate pricing models for the Measure C4 building projects.

The $145-million bond project is believed to be running over budget due to the inflation of construction costs, according to Project Management, Inc., the firm selected by the school board to oversee the bond project.

According to Project Management's Bill Mitchell, a construction management firm will be able to provide more accurate pricing and inform the district on exactly how much money will be required for each project.

Current price estimates for the construction are based on figures developed by the projects' architects.

"Construction management firms are building every single day and have a firm understanding of the price of supplies," Mitchell said.

Recent bids for projects at Crestview, Lincoln, Santa Susana and Atherwood elementary schools were more than $3 million over the price estimates supplied by the architects.

Project Management consulted with Bernard Bros. Construction, a local construction management firm, and asked for price estimates on projects approaching bid, such as the construction of an auditorium at Santa Susana High School.

The firm returned with building prices they were willing to commit to, and the figures showed that the architects' estimates were under by $3 million, according to officials at Project Management.

"There was no necessity for this a year and a half ago when the project was started, but the way estimates are running, it's been a galloping horse," Mitchell said.

By having more accurate price estimates, the school board can begin to cut unnecessary expenditures to bring the project back on budget, according to officials.

While Americans with Disabilities Act compliances and fire and safety systems are required, endeavors such as the removal of old furnaces for additional storage space are likely to be abandoned, according to district officials.

Some board members expressed concern that people wouldn't validate the bond measure if only internal systems were updated.

"We need to have some things that let people know we were here and that we made some changes," trustee Greg Stratton said.

The school board also stressed the importance of developing additional library space at the schools and creating permanent walls in place of the folding partitions that separate many classrooms.

"Replacing the partitions are a priority for me because I've witnessed the disruptions that occur in the classroom because of them," said Debbie Sandland, school board president.

Four projects have now been completed in the district. They include the first phase of modernization of Royal High School, the first phase of modernization for Simi Valley High School, the first phase of construction for Atherwood Elementary and modernization of the Simi Valley High School track and field.

Projects currently under construction include the modernization of Abraham Lincoln, Crestview, Knolls and Santa Susana elementary schools. The district will soon bid on

the second phase of the modernization project at Atherwood Elementary, which will include the construction of a new administration building, a classroom building and a multipurpose room and library; and the second phase of construction at Simi Valley High School, which will include upgrades to the science labs.