Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The time frame for the Colfax School District levy summer construction project is being adjusted due to high bids.
District Superintendent Michael Morgan gave an update to the school board Monday night, reporting that bids came in $60,000 higher than expected for the project, which includes remodeling the Jennings Elementary main entrance, installing steel doors and electronic locks on Jennings and the high school, adding security cameras and more.
Because of the high bids, Morgan said the district will now concentrate on completing the Jennings office by Aug. 15.
“That’s our main focus right now,” Morgan said, who indicated secretaries would be able to come in and work then.
Morgan said a bid for cabinetry was accepted from Home Depot for an Aug. 5 completion date of the office work. In addition, he reported that carpet was ordered and other materials.
While the goal now is to complete the Jennings office by the start of the school year, Morgan and school officials will decide how to proceed from there.
Morgan was set to meet with the project’s architect, Laurence Rose of Design West, on Tuesday.
He said the district will now attempt to negotiate bid adjustments to bring the project within range of available funding. The overall project for $250,000 security and capital improvements was approved by district voters in a special levy which passed in April.
Because tax fund income won’t be collected until next year, the construction is being paid for out of the district’s current capital projects fund. Morgan said he expects this summer’s expenditure to be $87,000.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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