ESCANABA — The Escanaba School Board approved a bid to repair a portion of the Escanaba Upper Elementary (EUE) auditorium roof during its regular meeting Monday.

The board accepted a bid from Lake State Roofing, Inc. of Iron Mountain for $111,800 to repair the roof, which suffered severe wind damage.

At last week’s meeting, Superintendent Coby Fletcher explained he sent out a RFP (request for proposal) for potential bids for the project. The two finalists were Lake State Roofing, Inc. and Independent Roofing and Siding of Escanaba. The Independent Roofing bid was $134,800.

Fletcher said the district received $42,000 from the school’s insurance company due to how the damage occurred.

However, the insurance money will not cover the total cost of repairs, noted School Board President Dan Flynn during Monday’s meeting.

Regardless of which bid was approved, about $50,000 will be taken from the district’s capital improvement fund, which is a line item within the district’s general fund. The rest will have to come from the general fund to help alleviate the cost. This phase of construction is the first of three because two other spots on the roof are also in need of repair.

“This is a real important, high emergency issue,” said Flynn.

Both companies offered a warranty of the roof repairs withstanding wind gusts of up to 72 miles per hour.

With the board pickingLake State Roofing, Inc., the district will pay approximately $69, 800 out of pocket towards the project.

In other action, the board approved bids from Jilbert’s Dairy in Marquette and Aunt Millie’s bread company to provide milk and bread for the upcoming school year for the school district’s food service. Food Service Director Nancy LaFave said there were two bids for bread — Aunt Millie and Sara Lee — with Aunt Millie’s being $111 less.

Board members also accepted a donation of $61,000 from Pat Abrahamson for repairs and upgrades to East Field at Lemerand Park in Escanaba. Fletcher said Abrahamson has donated generously towards the other two fields located at Lemerand and knew the third was also in need of updating, adding he and the district have been very appreciative of her contributions.

In addition, board members approved the change of name to Webster Elementary during Monday’s meeting. The school’s name will be changed to the “Webster Kindergarten Center.”

The next school board meeting will take place on Monday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. in the Courtyard Room at the EUE.