The Henderson County Board of Education on Oct. 20 approved a series of construction and budget actions covering school HVAC work, a culinary renovation and parking upgrades at Henderson County High School, the purchase of a replacement chiller and a district facility plan for the coming years.

The board voted unanimously to accept bids and award contracts for the South Middle School HVAC renovation, approved related budget-authority documents (a revised BG‑1 reducing the project total by $103,209.78), and authorized awards for testing-and-balancing and commissioning tied to that HVAC project. The board also approved a change order of $2,551 for aluminum plate work at East Heights Elementary (Kentucky Mirror and Glass), accepted BG‑2 and BG‑3 cost documentation and design development/construction documents for a culinary renovation and asphalt/parking upgrades at Henderson County High School, and authorized the administration to advertise those bids.

Why it matters: The board’s actions fund and authorize multi‑million‑dollar capital work the district says is necessary for safety, instructional programs and long‑term facility stewardship. The South Middle HVAC award and the high school culinary project are phased to begin construction in winter and summer windows that district staff said will minimize classroom disruption.

Board and staff discussion and key details

• South Middle School HVAC renovation—procurement and scope: Colton Miller (staff member) presented the bid tab and recommended awards. Miller said the bid tab included alternates and cited a total figure read aloud from the tab. Miller and Ross Charn Architects (firm named in the presentation) recommended acceptance of the base bid plus specified alternates. Superintendent Doctor Lawson (Superintendent) recommended the board approve the construction contracts as presented. The board moved and approved the contracts. The board also approved a revised BG‑1 for the project showing a $103,209.78 reduction from the original BG‑1, and approved the testing-and-balancing and commissioning contracts tied to the HVAC work.

• Culinary renovation and parking upgrades at Henderson County High School—schedule and procurement: Suzanne Erwin (staff member) reviewed construction documents and said the work will be split into two phases: Phase 1 (culinary renovation) targeted to begin in January and Phase 2 (parking/asphalt) scheduled for the summer after school ends, with both phases expected to finish by July 2026. The board approved BG‑2 and BG‑3 (cost/opinion documents), the design development/construction documents (DDs/CDs) and authorization to advertise for bids. Erwin and staff described the culinary project as installing commercial‑grade hoods, new mechanical work, new cabinetry and both commercial and residential teaching stations; a bid opening was scheduled for Nov. 13 in the presentation.

• East Heights Elementary change order: Mr. Thompson (facilities staff) asked the board to approve a $2,551 change order to Kentucky Mirror and Glass to plate a portion of the East Heights project. The board approved the change order by voice vote.

• Chiller replacement funding: The board approved a capital funds request to purchase a replacement chiller (referred to in the presentation as the “blue unit chiller”) for $271,946 using available building/capital outlay funds. Todd Stokes (Treasurer) reported the district’s available capital/building funds and said the purchase would use restricted building funds; the transcript also referenced House Bill 678 as the statutory vehicle that allows the board to use those funds without state approval. The board approved the request by motion and voice vote.

• Henderson County High School athletic master plan: The board approved hiring Ross Tarrant Architects (proposal fee noted as $31,000 in the presentation) to prepare an athletic master plan for Henderson County High School to guide future facility decisions.

• District facility plan: The facilities committee presented a district facility plan (multi‑year, roughly five-year planning document) and the board voted to approve the plan for public hearing and subsequent submission to the Kentucky Department of Education. The presentation noted an updated district “unmet need” figure in the plan and compared it with the 2021 figure; specific dollar figures as read in the meeting transcript were presented in the slides (see clarifying details).

• Other business and routine approvals: The board approved the agenda, accepted the Sept. 15 minutes, approved a consent agenda of 14 items, accepted the treasurer’s report for September (receipts $5,323,518; expenses $11,594,228; net change −$6,270,711 for the month as presented), approved the paid warrant report (total $6,107,078.09), approved calendar‑committee nominations and approved changing the November and December meeting locations/timing because of delayed state assessment data. The meeting moved into an executive session under KRS 61.810(1)(k) and KRS 156.155(7)(c) for the superintendent’s formative evaluation; the board stated there would be no action following the executive session.

Quotes (attributed to meeting speakers)

• “Ross Charn Architects has reviewed all of the bids and found them fair and reasonable,” Colton Miller said while presenting the South Middle bid tab.

• “This district puts kids first,” Superintendent Doctor Lawson said while urging approval of the contracts and other items.

• “The exhaust hoods for the commercial area has to be balanced. It ***** out a lot of air and so you have to put in a lot of fresh air,” Suzanne Erwin said, describing mechanical work for the culinary renovation (transcript contains an unclear word at the asterisk).

Votes at a glance (formal motions recorded in the meeting transcript)

- Approve agenda — outcome: approved (voice vote).
- Accept Sept. 15 minutes — outcome: approved (voice vote).
- Approve East Heights change order to Kentucky Mirror and Glass, $2,551 — outcome: approved (voice vote).
- Accept bids and award construction contracts for South Middle School HVAC renovation (base bid plus alternates as presented) — outcome: approved (board motion and voice vote).
- Approve revised BG‑1 for South Middle (reduction $103,209.78) — outcome: approved.
- Approve testing-and-balancing and commissioning awards tied to South Middle HVAC — outcome: approved.
- Approve BG‑2 and BG‑3, design development/construction documents and authorization to advertise for Henderson County High School culinary renovation and parking/asphalt upgrades — outcome: approved; bid opening scheduled for Nov. 13 (per presentation).
- Approve capital funds request to purchase blue unit chiller, $271,946 (purchase via state/national contract list Omnia) — outcome: approved (voice vote).
- Approve scope of services proposal from Ross Tarrant Architects for Henderson County High School athletic master plan (fee noted in presentation) — outcome: approved.
- Approve district facility plan as adopted by committee and proceed to public hearing and KDE submission — outcome: approved.
- Approve calendar‑committee nominations for 2026–27 — outcome: approved.
- Change November/December meeting locations/timing due to delayed KDE assessment data — outcome: approved.
- Approve consent agenda (14 items) — outcome: approved.
- Approve treasurer’s report (September receipts/expenses) — outcome: approved.
- Approve paid warrant report (payments Sep. 16–Oct. 20 total $6,107,078.09) — outcome: approved.
- Move into executive session under KRS 61.810(1)(k) and KRS 156.155(7)(c) for superintendent evaluation — outcome: approved; no action announced after session.

Ending: Board members said staff will return to the board with contract documents, schedules and next steps; several projects are timed to occur during school breaks or summer to reduce classroom disruption. The public hearing for the district facility plan will be held in November before submission to the Kentucky Department of Education, per the presentation.