LPOSD goes to bid on levy list

SANDPOINT - These days Lake Pend Oreille School District facilities director Sid Rayfield packs around what Supt. Dick Cvitanich calls his “box.”

That box includes documentation what has become a long list of Rayfield's responsibilities.

Those responsibilities grew significantly this year when school roofs were damaged by heavy winter snows and voters approved a plant facilities levy this spring.

“I never see him anywhere without that case,” Cvitanich said.

Trustees voted Tuesday to go out to bid for 11 additional items to be paid for by the recently approved plant facilities levy.

The deadline for filing appeal of the levy also passed without anyone filing a protect, said Cvitanich.

“So that's good news for us,”said board chairman Vickie Pfeifer.

Roughly a third of the bids that were approved in the first round went to Bonner County area businesses, said Rayfield.

Those bids came in under what was projected, including the cost for asbestos removal, he said. That savings amounts to about $265,000 - but that potentially be needed as contractors begin removing asbestos and other projects get under way, Cvitanich said Wednesday.

Every year, Rayfield added 15 to 17 percent to the estimated cost for asbestos removal - numbers that the EPA indicated were accurate, he said. Rayfield will use a small portion of the savings to have Handyman Services move furniture in schools were the work is taking place.

The remainder of the used on what Rayfield anticipates will be costlier portions of the levy projects during the second year of the levy, he said.

Those items include asbestos removal at schools throughout the district and replacement of bleachers at CFHS and Farmin Stidwell.

The Clark Fork bleachers were donated to the school 30 years ago by Fairchild Air Force base, while the Farmin bleachers do not come close to meeting code, Rayfield said.

Other items that also will go out to bid this year include re-roofing Clark Fork and Sandpoint high schools, carpet and tile removal/installation at SHS, Sandpoint Middle School and Southside, Farmin-Stidwell and Washington elementary schools; CFHS track asphalt pavement and rubberized surface, replacement/upgrade of heating and control systems; installation of fire rated ceiling tiles in the Stidwell side of Farmin Stidwell; and replacement of an Expeditor van with 200,000-plus miles on it.

In other board business, trustees:

€ Approved a treasurer's report from business manager Lisa Hals on the progress of the district getting compensated for damage to school district roofs this past winter.

The district's liability insurance carrier agreed to pay $143,000 of $280,000 requested, denying $137,000 in claims related to snow removal. The district also filed a claim with the Department of Homeland Security, which is not expected to come through until November.

Under the FEMA claim, snow removal is an allowable expense, but the federal government will not pay on double claims and given that the insurance company has denied that portion of the claim, the matter can proceed with FEMA.

“Again it's up to the governor,” she said.

€ Re-elected Pfeifer as board chairman and Mindy Cameron as vice chairman.