Remodeling Lake Agassiz Elementary School will cost about $500,000 more than previously estimated, according to Jody Thompson, Grand Forks School District assistant superintendent of elementary education.
The Grand Forks School Board voted 6-1 on Monday to approve a $4 million bid for remodeling of the school. Board member Tim Lamb opposed the measure. Board members Eric Lunn and DeAnna Carlson Zink were absent.
Thompson said there still is potential for cost savings of up to $100,000 throughout the project. The project originally was slated to cost about $3.4 million.
Plans to add more natural light to the school contributed to the additional costs, Thompson said.
The plans were added last month following some parent complaints. "Light chutes," which work by bouncing natural light off a wall, will be added to some classrooms lacking windows or other means to provide natural light, according to Thompson.
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Lamb said he voted against the project because plans for daylight were insufficient.
"In my 20 years of going to classes, I never remember having a class without windows," he said.
The remodeling project is set to begin soon.
