January 2003

Ran: North County Times - Tuesday, January 21, 2003

Fallbrook trustees to consider contractor

Elementary school board set to approve first bond sale

By: Darrin Mortenson

FALLBROOK - The Fallbrook Union Elementary School board of trustees tonight is slated to approve a general contractor to manage multimillion-dollar construction projects slated for three district campuses this summer.

At a district board meeting at 7 p.m. at William H. Frazier Elementary School multipurpose room at 1835 Gum Tree Lane, the board also will consider approving the sale of the first bond following the passage of Proposition X - the $32 million bond measure to refurbish and modernize the district's nine campuses that voters passed in November.

The district has selected Douglas E. Barnhart Inc. to be the general contractor overseeing as much as $15 million in work planned for Mary Fay Pendleton School on Camp Pendleton, Fallbrook Street School and Potter Junior High School. The board is being asked to approve the selection of that firm.

The $15 million - which Proctor said is an estimate - comes from state modernization funds and a proposition of the bond approved by Proposition X.

Ray Proctor, the district's assistant superintendent of business affairs, said Douglas E. Barnhart was chosen because it is the "largest school construction company in the state," and has a proven record of completing major summer construction projects before students return.

"Barnhart is the company that has done the most school construction that we know of," said Proctor, adding it was Douglas E. Barnhart that built William H. Frazier Elementary School in 1998. "They've done construction at districts all around here. And we have heard nothing but glowing reports from those schools."

Proctor said the six campuses slated for millions of dollars in state money will be first in lone for construction - three this summer and three next summer.

If the board authorizes hiring the company, Douglas E. Barnhart will begin lining up subcontractors so that work can begin the day after the semester ends on June 16.

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