District plans Wilson renovation

A well-attended contractor meeting for the $6 million renovation project at Lincoln Middle School and the Wilson Elementary School building gives the administrators hope for competitive bids.

Superintendent Donna Little-Kaumo said the project is the largest school project in the state at this time.

She said construction projects around the state have slowed due to the state’s economy. As a result, a number of contractors have expressed interest in the project, a situation that could be advantageous for the district. Little-Kaumo said competitive bidding on the project could result in the district accomplishing more with the construction budget.

The current schedule would result in construction starting at Wilson Feb. 6, 2017, and would finish July 21, 2017. After construction at Wilson finishes, the district’s central office will move into Wilson July 25-31. Construction at Lincoln would then begin Aug. 1, and continue until Feb. 20, 2018.

According to Little-Kaumo, the district’s operation and maintenance supervisor, Doug Hamel, will serve as the project’s construction manager while a representative from Groathouse Construction will serve as a supervisor and live in Green River during construction. Groathouse, while a general contractor itself, also serves as a construction management firm.

Plans for the Wilson renovation would result in a new home for the district’s central office, as well as a new location for the district’s board of trustees to meet. The school building’s gymnasium will be converted into a board and training room. Many of the classrooms at Wilson will be converted to office space for district administrators and employees.

Little-Kaumo expects the transition to be an easy one for the central office staff and believes the building will make for an inviting space for district visitors.

Wilson Elementary School was a home for Expedition Academy before they were moved to the school’s current location. It then housed a portion of Monroe Intermediate School during construction at the MIS building.