Board hears options to lock $21.1 million in state funding for middle-school replacement

Jay, a project presenter, told the board the district has "now since received the d 4, which is the approval of the d 3," and that approval secures the larger state share tied to the prior submission.

Jay outlined two paths: keep the currently locked $21.1 million by using a traditional design-bid-build delivery and submit the D5 materials now, or pursue alternative delivery (GCCM/design-build) but allow the D3 to lapse and resubmit later — a move Jay said would likely reduce the state share to about $17 million. He told the board there is a deadline for the D4 cover letter (noted in his remarks) and that certain state approvals (CPAR) and the timing of a bond vote will affect whether alternative delivery methods are feasible.

Board members asked about tradeoffs including cost certainty and schedule. Jay explained GCCM tends to be more expensive up front but can reduce change orders by involving a contractor earlier; he used a hypothetical guaranteed maximum price example to illustrate contingencies and how unused contingency funds would be returned to the district. He also described estimated SEPA costs — roughly $12,000 for the checklist and about $48,000 for a geochemical report — and cautioned that the state’s construction cost allocation (CCA) per square foot is likely to increase over time, which could raise the state-eligible share.

The board did not take formal action on the delivery method at the meeting; Jay said he will return in January with advisory-committee reporting and additional information. The district’s next steps include deciding whether to proceed with D5 now and accept the design-bid-build route to secure the larger state share, or to pursue alternative delivery and accept the risk of a smaller state award if resubmission is required.