Two contractors vie for Polson High School job
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POLSON — Although the agenda called for the selection of a contractor for the Polson High School project, trustees at the March 29 Polson school board special meeting did not.
After the meeting began, Chair Caryl Cox quoted Montana Code Annotated and the attorney general’s opinion on items being added to the agenda on the same day as the meeting.
Only trustees Cox, John Kelly, Cindy Lanier, and Tim McGinnis were present, with Kelly Bagnell joining the meeting by phone.
Carl Elliott, district technology and personnel manager, said the evaluation team recommended the team of Swanke Construction and Jakola Engineering and Architecture, Kalispell, and the other team of McKinstry and Temp-Rite Service, Missoula, be asked to submit a request for proposal.
Both have excellent references and lengthy track records completing jobs in Montana, Elliott explained.
The firms indicated an rfp was doable in two weeks, Elliott said. He would like to mail the rfps out on March 29 so both teams would have two weeks to complete their plan for the project, without losing a week while the school district was on spring break.
“Basically, we are saying, ‘This is a design/build project, and these are the district goals,’” Elliott explained, asking that the firms reply with what needs to be done from their perspective and consider price.
Trustee Kelly noted since the PHS job is a substantial contract, he would like a third party to look at it and “see that we have everything we need in there.”
“You as a whole board need to tell us what you want,” Elliott said.
Trustees were asked to forward questions, comments and edits to Elliott by email before 1 p.m. on March 29.
The board unanimously passed the motion.
Trustees also approved a Polson Middle School trip to Washington, D.C. Middle school teachers Mandy Ramesar and Joey Kolattukudy and Ramesar’s husband will chaperone the trip aided by the tour group.
“These kinds of trips are very beneficial to kids,” commented Superintendent Linda Reksten.
The next regularly scheduled school board meeting will be April 15 instead of April 8 at 5:30 p.m. in the district conference room.
