Board hires Wenaha Group Incorporated for construction project management services

Last night, the Hermiston School Board approved the recommendation to hire Wenaha Group Incorporated to provide project management services for the 2019 bond projects. Wenaha will be responsible for overseeing all bond projects totaling $82.7 million.

“We are excited that the Wenaha Group will be helping the district with our new projects,” said Board Chair Karen Sherman. “They are familiar with the district; they provided invaluable oversight during our planning facility meetings and were very instrumental in the construction of both elementary schools Sunset and West Park and Armand Larive Middle School.”

Dave Fishel, now vice-president for the Wenaha Group, served as the bond project manager for the 2008 bond projects. The Wenaha Group has k-12 construction experience in school remodels and new construction. They have worked with the Corvallis, Findley, Hood River, Imbler, Jefferson County, North Marion, Pendleton, Yakima, Umatilla school district and Walla Walla Public Schools to name a few.   

The Hermiston School District approved bond projects include:

• Replacing Rocky Heights Elementary School with a larger 600-student building on the current property and relocating the fields;
• Constructing a new 600-student elementary school on the district-owned property on Theater Lane.
• Constructing a multi-classroom annex to increase capacity at Hermiston High School.
• Funding elementary school site improvements to address capacity and congestion issues;
• Purchasing property for long-term anticipated student capacity demands; and
• Funding site improvements, demolition, furnishing and equipment, capitalized interest, and bond issuance costs for the projects mentioned previously.