The Harlan Community School Board of Educators, Monday, approved a bid for a new air handler system for the high school gymnasium. Superintendent Justin Wagner said the district set aside $390,000 in PPEL funding for the project. However Wagner said the four bids were surprisingly lower. “Well one of the bids was over $300,000 but the others were under. In speaking with our folks and trying to prognosticate on it, they said what happened was a little bit of a bidding war which worked well for us.”

Ray Martin out of Omaha was the lowest bid at $220,000 and Wagner says it was great news. “They’re a big company so they are reputable and they do this work. Obviously there was a lot of savings and that money will go back to our contingence funds in case something happens. A couple of years ago our roof collapsed, that’s what that money is for so we try to be conservative with that.”

The work on the High School Gymnasium air handler will begin following graduation. Wagner mentioned the HEA and the Board continues to work on an agreement and expects that will be approved at the next school board meeting on Monday, March 24^th.  

(Joel McCall/KNOD)