Columbia School Board chooses builder of new elementary school

The Columbia School Board met Monday night to vote on several projects around the district.

The board voted unanimously to approve the bid by St. Louis-based K&S Construction to build the district’s newest elementary school.

The 21st elementary school will be constructed near the newly-opened Battle High School in northeast Columbia. The project has a price tag of nearly $13 million.

School leaders say construction could begin this month and they hope to have the school opened by Aug. 2015.

Board members also approved a more than $2.6 million project to make improvements to the district’s transportation facility site on Clark Lane. The construction will be managed by C.L. Richardson of Ashland.

Some of the improvements will include storm water compliance, a security fence, fuel tank replacement and Dept. of Natural Resources compliance.

The project will be funded through the Capital Projects 2012 bond fund.