District 91 inform the public on improving school buildings
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Idaho Falls School District 91 is looking to update and improve school buildings.
The first step was to inform the public on how the process works.
"There is no such thing as a free lunch in school construction," Idaho AGC CEO Wayne Hammon said. "Every time we talk about spending taxpayer money we want to make sure it's done right. So all of them involve finding a quality contractor and bidding for the lowest price."
When looking at the methods, there are four.
- Design, Bid, Build
- Design and Build
- Construction Manager and General Contractor
- Construction Manager Representative
"Recommendations were given to the board in November and they are taking each piece at a time," District 91 Director of Communication Margaret Wimborne said. "What does the scope look like, how do we finance them, how do we construct the projects and if we do, what the price of that bond would be."
The public meeting did not come without criticism. Lisa Keller from the District 91 taxpayers group believes Hammon is trying to get the most money for his contractors.
"There are a lot more questions than answers in today's meeting," District 91 taxpayer Lisa Keller. "Where is his incentive to get the very best price for me as a taxpayer? I don't pay his paycheck. The general contractors pay his paycheck.”
Ultimately the decision comes down to the school board and what makes sense for them moving forward. They look to come to an agreement in the coming weeks and have an announcement in March.
State law requires public construction projects to be put out for a public bid.
