Contractor picked to finish Kalispell vo-ag center

The Construction Group Montana is finishing approximately $255,000 of substandard or incomplete work on phase one of the H.E. Robinson Vocational Agriculture Center renovation and addition.

The first phase of construction on the Kalispell Public Schools facility encompasses a new veterinary science building, pole barn and greenhouse.

The original general contractor hired in June 2018 to complete the first phase of work, Missoula-based Outback Construction, reportedly “abandoned the contract,” and was not paying subcontractors, who then reached out to the district in December 2018. The district stepped in, paying subcontractors directly, rather than the general contractor, until funds budgeted for the first phase started running low in March. By April, the district contacted the surety company through which Outback was bonded. The surety company received two bids and selected The Construction Group Montana, which is based in Kalispell, to finish the work.

The school district anticipates the work on this phase to be finished in four months.

The second phase of construction at the vo-ag center is progressing ahead of schedule, Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Mark Flatau said. A separate contractor, Swank Enterprises, is completing this phase of construction.

“We’re looking at finishing the entire project by spring break 2020 as opposed to summer 2020,” Flatau said.

The vo-ag center is part of a $28.8 million high school district bond issue. The bonds are funding renovations of Linderman Education Center, slated to be finished in December, Flathead High School, which was recently finished and is going through a punch list, and Legends Stadium, which was completed in 2017.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.