Bridal Finneken, the district’s director of finance, presented preliminary bid results for the Valley View indoor environmental quality project and outlined next steps for bid verification, best-value interviews and a bond-sale resolution.

Finneken said apparent low bidders were identified by scope (concrete, mechanical, roofing, acoustics, flooring, food-service equipment and others) and that some large 'best value' scopes — notably geothermal and major mechanical work — will proceed to interviews because of their complexity and score-based selection criteria. She said the mechanical apparent-low bid figure and the geothermal best-value comparison left the project within the planned budget envelope.

After bids and contingencies, the construction line in the presentation was approximately $15,000,002; the total project estimate, including soft costs and contingencies, was reported at about $18,059,386 — roughly $160,614 under the preliminary budget. Finneken cautioned that contingencies exist for abatement and unknowns and that costs could change over the two-year construction schedule; she said abatement has been estimated but might exceed estimates in some scopes.

Finneken said the district will return on Dec. 9 with an action item recommending bid awards for the entire project and a separate resolution to approve the sale of bonds to fund the work. If approved, construction would start after contract award and the vendor confirmation process; completion is scheduled for August 2027, spanning two summers. She noted the district is coordinating financing and investment management for bond proceeds, and that Ehlers (municipal advisor) will attend the Dec. 9 meeting to discuss bond-sale mechanics and post-sale cash management.

Board members asked technical questions about the vetting process and requested the full bid tabs; Finneken said detailed bidder information will be included in the Friday packet and that interviews for best‑value scopes are scheduled. No votes were taken at the informational item; the board will consider the recommendation and bond resolution at the next meeting.