KTEC may get early start

COEUR d'ALENE - Construction of the KTEC (Kootenai Technical Education Campus) high school is back on track for an early start.

Idaho House members voted 62-7 Monday in favor of a bill that would allow construction of the professional-technical high school to begin later this year.

"This will get contractors working sooner and get students in that school sooner," said Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, sponsor of the revamped bill.

The KTEC public high school is a joint effort of a cooperative service agency formed by the Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland School Districts.

Without a change in existing legislation passed in 2009, building on projects like the KTEC high school cannot begin until all tax levy money is collected.

The measure is now headed for the Senate side of the Idaho Legislature.

Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, sponsored a similar bill that died in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee in early February after some lawmakers expressed concern about what would happen if work was initiated prior to full collection of taxes, and then tax revenue shortfalls occurred.

"Basically, the revision will require the cooperative service agency to put language in a construction bid proposal that clearly indicates that there is a chance that all the money may not be available and thus the contractor will need to take on that burden if they choose to bid," said Post Falls school Superintendent Jerry Keane.

There is little chance the school districts will not be able to collect all the tax levy money, Keane said.

If the legislation is enacted, the project will likely go to bid in July. By then more than half of the $9.5 million approved by voters in 2010 will have been collected.

Dean Haagenson, a former legislator and CEO of Contractors Northwest, worked with legislators on the revamped bill. Haagenson sits on KTEC's governing board.

"I think we have a fair chance of passing this, and we can start and open the school a year early," Haagenson said. "This is overdue. We don't want another class to go by and not be able to benefit from this opportunity."

The high school will offer classes in skilled trades such as health occupations, welding, construction and automotive to juniors and seniors in the three districts.

It will be built on the southwest corner of Lancaster and Meyer, and is slated to open in the fall of 2013. If the new legislation is enacted, a 2012 opening is projected.