Panco awarded school contracts

SANDPOINT — The Lake Pend Oreille School Board has awarded Panco Construction of Spokane a construction contract for Sagle and Kootenai Elementary School project additions.

Panco was the low bidder on the projects.

Five construction firms pre-qualified and submitted bids, which ranged from a base bid price of  $4,957,000 to $$5,591,000.

Subcontractors for the successful Panco bid will include Etco Services (plumbing), Tyko Mechanical (heating and air conditioning), and Allen’s Electric and Coeur d’Alene Sheet Metal & Heating (electrical).

With bid approval on May 19, projects are expected to meet their projected time schedules. Site work will commence immediately at Kootenai and on June 9 at Sagle. The district expects student occupancy by January 2010 at Sagle and a phased student occupancy at Kootenai, with full occupancy no later than September 2010.

The district has hired Joel Molander as construction project manager. Funding is provided from a two-year School Plant Facility property tax levy approved by voters on May 20, 2008.

Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Dick Cvitanich said he was excited “that these important community projects would now move forward, including gym space at Kootenai that will be available for community recreational use.”

School Board Chair Vickie Pfeifer noted that the bids marked a milestone for the district in improving education facilities and opportunities for students.

“Equally important at this time,” she said, “is moving forward on significant construction project that will provide jobs for local workers.”