Panhandle Health District

                                                              8500 N. Atlas Road         Hayden, Idaho  83835

www.phd1.idaho.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Date:     July 27, 2007                 

Contact:                                                                                  Released by: Jeanne Bock, Director       

Cynthia Taggart

Public Information Officer

(208) 415-5108

(208) 818-7288 (cell)

                                                                           New PHD Building Delayed Until Next Summer

Hayden—The Panhandle Health District’s (PHD) new building in St. Maries will open at least six months later than planned after the Board of Health decided Thursday to reject all construction bids for the project.

              “The bids were unsatisfactory,” said Mark Anderson, PHD’s project manager. “They were not compatible with our requirements at this time.”

              The district will issue a new request for bids and hopes to have another bid opening within 60 days. The delay will push the project completion date back from January 2008 to at least June 2008.

              “I’m disappointed at the delay, but we hope to forge ahead as soon as possible,” said Marlow Thompson, Board of Health chairman.

              The project delay will have no effect on public health services in Benewah County. PHD will continue to offer services from the Moody Building at 711 Jefferson in St. Maries.