Andrea Johnson/MDN Construction workers work on the site of North Minot High School on Wednesday. Inflation and increased prices have caused the school district to alter some of the original plans for the project.

Unprecedented inflation has taken a bite out of plans for the new North Minot High School.

The Minot Public School Board gave approval on Tuesday to bid packages for the next phase of the project, which had to be done quickly to lock in rates that could continue to rise.

Bids came In a few weeks ago at 17% over budget. In response, school administrators have been looking at “efficiencies” that can lower costs and keep the project within the projected budget.

In practical terms, that means that science classrooms will have cabinets without glass fronts, different and cheaper lighting fixtures and flooring will be installed in the new building, plans for landscaping will be scaled back, and the district will use some of the existing curbs and gutters in the parking lot. Other cost-cutting measures will also be taken, though Superintendent Mark Vollmer said it will still be a quality building.

Vollmer said cutting down on the size of the building itself to save money isn’t an option.

“The building is designed for 1,200 students,” said Vollmer. “We have 2,000 in the high school right now.”

Overcrowding was one of the reasons supporters said the new school construction is necessary.

The new 9-12 North Minot High School is on the site of the former Cognizant building, which was donated to the school district for the nominal fee of $10. It will include a sports stadium and a swimming pool as well as the new Minot Area Workforce Academy in a different building on the campus.

Voters approved the bond issue last December that will pay for the North Minot High School renovation and new construction as well as renovation of Magic City Campus into a 9-12 high school and renovation of Central Campus into a third in-town middle school. Minot, which currently has one high school spread across two campuses, will have two 9-12 high schools when all of the buildings open in the fall of 2024.