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The Centralia High School Board of Education voted to table approval of a track resurfacing bid, after the lowest bid came back far higher than expected. The low bid from Rooters Asphalt was $765,800 dollars, well above the $500,000 dollar maximum that superintendent Chuck Lane expected. Assured that the track is in good enough condition to be used for another year, Lane said the school will repeat the bidding process and try to get a better deal next year.

“The bids were a little bit higher than what we anticipated. The bigger issue was the fact that the low bidder wasn’t confident they could get it completed by August,” Lane said. “We’re going to wait and hold off, get a quicker start next time, and hopefully be ready to go for next year with the bids. We were hopeful to get it done, we wanted to get it done, but it doesn’t do us much good if it costs more than anticipated and there’s no guarantee it’s going to be done.”

The board did accept a bid of $52,000 from Johannes Construction to expand the parking lot around the pole barn addition.

Lane discussed the amended budget, which shows lower revenue and higher expenses than the original budget. Losses include over $500,000 of previously approved ESSER III grant funds being withheld by the federal government, increased insurance payments, and higher-than-expected energy costs due to the solar project being delayed.

The board appointed Steve Rupe to fill a vacant seat, and both Rupe and Mike Sutherland took their oaths of office. Sutherland was elected to a four-year term in the April consolidated election.

The board accepted a letter of retirement from cafeteria worker Diane Plassman.