The Great Falls Public Schools board voted unanimously during a special March 31 meeting to award a $399,063 contract to Empire Roofing for an emergency repair of the Lincoln Elementary School roof, about half of which was blown off during a March 8 windstorm.

Because of the emergent need to repair the school roof, the district didn’t have to follow the standard statutory contracting process and was able to meet with four roofing contractors it had worked with over the last six years.

The district is also working with Cushing Terrell, a local architecture and engineering firm, which has worked on recent school roof projects.

GFPS considering bids to repair Lincoln roof during March 31 meeting

On March 19, the district and Cushing Terrell met with the four roofing contractors to discuss the scope of work and walk through the area included in the roofing replacement project.

The contractors were told that the lowest bid was among the selection criteria, but due to the urgency of the project, the ability to start the project would carry additional weight in the selection process, according to GFPS.

Bids were submitted March 27 as follows:

• Empire Roofing, Inc.: $399,063
• Summit Roofing: $498,160
• Centimark: $519,187
• Metalworks of Montana: $599,088

Luke Diekhans, GFPS’ business operations, told the board during their March 31 meeting that it wasn’t a fully engineered project, but the district was working with Cushing Terrell to manage the project.

Diekhans said typically roofing contractors are booked this time of year, but all four assured the district they could start within two weeks of finalizing a contract.

GFPS relocating some Lincoln students after wind blows off roof

Diekhans said the Lincoln roof replacement should be completed within about two months, weather dependent.

The project will be paid through an insurance claim, and Diekhans said they’re learning as they go, but have a good plan.

Diekhans told The Electric on March 23 that the Lincoln roof repair will primarily be covered by insurance, but the district must pay a $5,000 deductible out of the general fund.

He said the district had already incurred some cleanup costs and repairs to a tangled fiber optic cable and damaged sprinkler system totaling about $75,000 so far.

Lincoln Elementary roof damaged by wind, school will not be held there Monday or Tuesday

Kim Skornogoski, school board member, asked if staff would come back to the board or proceed as needed if contractors discover larger problems while working on the roof.

Diekhans said staff would use good judgment but keep the board informed and follow the standard process for contract change orders.

He told The Electric that the damaged roof on the south end of the school had been removed and the rafter roof will also be removed and replaced with a sloped roof.

Diekhans said the north end of the roof is fine but might have some gutter repairs.

Skornogoski said it was another example of the community stepping up and she appreciated having local companies come to the table to get the roof fixed quickly.

Diekhans said the district’s insurance provider, Marsh McLellan through the Montana Schools Group Interlocal Authority, had been good to work with and was in touch with the district the day of the windstorm.