Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Jennings update
The Jennings Elementary School office is nearing completion, after a few delays keeping it unfinished and passing the goal of opening Aug. 15. Meanwhile, the Jennings gym improvements have been held back by an asbestos discovery.
Colfax School District Superintendent Michael Morgan showed the school board the new office space Monday. The gym and office construction is all part of a $250,000 security and capital improvements levy passed in April.
A new nurse’s room allows the nurse to see students in the sickroom, as it is all one space now. A long desk was framed by Morgan, with countertops placed on top.
The superintendent said that the main doors are on schedule to be delivered this week, when workers will cut out the former window and concrete to create the new entrance, which will bring visitors straight into the office.
Previously, visitors entered from the main doors down the hall from the office.
Carpet is also due to arrive this week while a stretch of additional carpet that will be installed behind the desk is on back order for Sept. 23. Morgan said that the carpet installer has not been determined.
All told, he estimated the new completion date to be by Nov. 1.
“It really depends on this last patch of carpet,” he said.
In the meantime, Jennings’ office staff occupy part of the library for workspace.
As far as the construction in the gym, an asbestos problem has caused a delay. Panels below windows throughout the school were found to have three to five percent asbestos, which must be removed.
One bid was received at noon Monday for the project.
Morgan said it will cost about $7,000 for the work to be done the weekend of Sept. 28, with guaranteed removal by Oct. 1.
The gym construction portion of the Jennings levy project also includes new doors on the west side of the building, with one door on the city pool side of the gym, along with the recess door at the back of the school.
There are also added doors inside, linking a hallway between the gyms. These will be a set of wooden double doors, so no special frame is required.
The new hallway link would be for security purposes, while allowing people to walk between the two gyms without having to go outside.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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