By TOM LUCKIE III

OGDENSBURG -- The Ogdensburg City School District Board of Education approved Monday an estimated $797,347 project budget for lighting and temperature control improvements to the Edgar A. Newell II Memorial Golden Dome.

Phase 6 of the Capital Improvements Project includes the replacement of the Golden Dome's interior lightning along with site lighting and temperature control upgrades.

The board accepted two bids recommended by Shawn Travers, an architect with Bernie, Carr & Associates, Watertown.

Travers recommended the mechanical contract bid submitted by Burns Bros Contractors, Inc., Potsdam, at a total base bid of $375,000.

Travers also recommended the electrical contract bid submitted Collins-Hammond Electrical Contractors, Inc., Ogdensburg, at a total base bid of $168,900.

Both bids were about $20,000 lower than the second lowest respective bids.

Additionally, Travers recommend the installation of LED high bay efficiency luminaires into the Golden Dome's interior light fixtures at a cost of $29,980, noting that the expense can be recouped over time through greater energy efficiency.

The overall Phase 6 budget estimate includes $608,880 in total construction and $188,467 in total incidentals.

Available project funding includes roughly $700,000 from the 2010 Public Referendum and $100,000 from the 2015 Budget Vote for the Golden Dome.