After bond win, new schools next up for board.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Flush from Tuesday's passage of a $116 million bond measure to build and renovate schools, the Eugene School Board on Wednesday authorized staff to negotiate a contract with Chambers Construction of Eugene to manage construction of two new elementary schools.

Chambers was one of four firms to submit proposals for the work, which will involve negotiating a maximum construction price with the district, reviewing designs and seeking project bids from sub- contractors.

The two new schools will replace four old ones. The first, scheduled to open in fall 2003, will be built on property near Patterson Elementary, and will take students from Westmoreland, Patterson and Family School, which shares the Patterson building. The second, to open a year later, will likely go in next to Monroe Middle School, taking kids from Willakenzie and Washington.

Facilities director Bill Hirsh said Chambers' fee will be between 4.5 and 4.75 percent of the total, which is estimated at around $8 million to $9 million per building.

The school board also got a briefing on the work of the Education Specification Committee, which came up with a vision and goals for the new elementary and middle school buildings. Working with a smaller committee of staff, parents and community members, the architects will use the first group's report as a guide as it begins specific design work on the elementary schools. The Design Committee will start work today.