JOHN DAY Grant School District 3 opened bids March 13 for its new eight-lane track at Grant Union Junior-Senior High School.

Superintendent Mark Witty expected to award contracts to two firms for separate parts of the work after the required seven days, this Tuesday or Wednesday.

The bids came in about $70,000 higher than the amount the districts insurance company has committed for repairing the flood damage to the existing six-lane track, Witty told the Grant School District 3 board March 14.

Witty planned to contact the insurance company to see if coverage could be increased in light of the bidding. Meanwhile, he said, the Grant Union track committee, a community volunteer and staff group promoting the track project, has been informed that they may need to raise about that amount.

Last fall, the committee decided that since the track needs to be replaced, it should go to an eight-lane facility.

The bids presented are reasonable for that size track, Witty said.

Tidewater Contractors of John Day was the apparent low bidder for the track construction, including a 3-inch asphalt surface, a new pole vault area and restored long jump, high jump and javelin areas. The contractors bid was $151,646.48.

Other bids were submitted by Dice Construction Inc. of Bend, at $174,624.60; Knife River Corporation-Northwest of Bend, $180,827.50; Winegar Excavating of Prairie City, $211,677.50; and JP Prinz Co. LLC of Bend, $233,526.80.

The Track Doctor of Meridian, Idaho, was the low bidder at $114,950 for applying the new rubber surface to the track and painting the track and field areas.

Also bidding on that part of the project was Tualatin-based Beynon Sports Surfaces Inc., at $132,531.

Bidders were required to have a 100 percent payment bond to secure their work.

Because construction of the track surface will be awarded on a retainer basis, the track committee could have until late summer to raise more money, Witty told the board.

Organizers hoped for a finish date to coincide with the fall football season, but the new costs may delay that. Witty said Monday hes talking with representatives of The Track Doctor to determine the latest the job could be started and still finish on that schedule, given temperature requirements for the work.

In other action March 14, the Grant School District 3 board welcomed a new board member, Dr. Andrew Janssen, to fill the Zone 3 vacancy that occurred with the resignation of Ben Holliday. Holliday recently resigned due to a move outside the Zone 3 boundary.

The board also:

Accepted the resignation of Grant Union High School soccer coach Chris James.

Approved hiring Ethan Kowing as assistant track coach. Kowing, a 2009 GU graduate, excelled in throwing events.

Accepted the retirement of Humbolt fourth-grade teacher Pam Minster, effective at the end of the school year.