Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Colfax school board approved Monday an $18.9 million bond proposal to go before voters in February.
Designated for facilities improvements at Jennings Elementary and Colfax High School – from rooftops to classrooms and the auditorium – the nine-page bond filing will now be submitted to the Whitman County elections office.
The $18.9 million final figure comes after refining a $19 million estimate that arose from a series of discussions earlier this year with staff, consultants and community members.
Superintendent Jerry Pugh presented the final number Monday at the school board’s regular meeting. Brian Becker made the motion followed by a second from Robert Smith. The board voted unanimously, with Jennifer Hauser absent.
The bond’s total includes a five percent contingency for unforeseen events.
“When you remodel, there’s always a surprise, right?” said Pugh.
Room is also allowed for increasing construction costs between now and when the work may be done.
Projects included are divided in a list of high priority, moderate/medium and others if money allows. Examples from the high-priority section include re-roofing both the high school and Jennings Elementary, re-vamping HVAC systems and renovating classrooms.
In planning for the bond measure, Pugh and the district conferred with consultant Dax Logsdon, Construction Service Group, Education Service District 112 in the Tri-Cities, and architect Ned Warnick of Design West in Pullman, the district’s architect on the bond work.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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