Board approves athletic- and facilities-related contracts, adopts bond fund budget and superintendent goals

The L'Anse Creuse Public Schools Board of Education approved several facilities contracts, adopted the district's initial bond-series budget for 2025 and approved amended superintendent goals at its March 31 regular meeting.

The board voted to award the athletic-fields and related site work contract (baseball fields, softball, tennis-court renovations and related alternates) after administration presented low-bid figures and a recommended 10% contingency. Administration reported bids of $9,000,293 and recommended adding $1,100,000 contingency for a total not to exceed $10,458,283. The board approved the recommendation by voice vote.

The board also approved a replacement of pool filtration systems for both pools (Central and North). Administration recommended awarding the pool filtration contract to Aquatic Source at $784,400 plus a $78,000 contingency for a total award of $862,800; the board approved the recommendation by voice vote.

Other routine items approved in a single consent vote included the consent agenda and an amended resolution adding L'Anse Creuse High School North as a voting precinct.

Financial and budget approvals: the board adopted an "original 02/2025 school bond series 1" budget for the bond fund and later approved a midyear amendment to the general fund 2024-25 budget to reflect current projections. Administration emphasized that the series 1 budget covers expected expenditures through June 30, 2025, and that series 2 items (including the band trailer discussed during public comment) remain separate unless the board later votes to move items between series.

On personnel and governance, the board approved amended superintendent goals; the board added one specific subgoal directing the superintendent to develop baseline data from the spring 2025 M-STEP assessment for later planning. The board also voted to table a proposed new policy on complaint handling and referral and referred it to the policy committee (with legal counsel) for further work. Finally, the board filled a board vacancy by appointing Jeff Cypress to serve the remainder of the partial term through Dec. 31, 2026.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded as presented at the meeting): - Athletic field/tennis/baseball/softball bid and alternates (bid awards + 10% contingency; total recommended $10,458,283): approved (voice vote). - Pool filtration systems (Aquatic Source; $784,400 + $78,000 contingency = $862,800): approved (voice vote). - Consent agenda: approved (roll call: 6 yes, 0 no). - Amended resolution adding High School North as a voting precinct: approved (voice vote). - Adopt original 02/2025 school bond series 1 budget (initial budget for bond fund through June 30, 2025): approved (voice vote). - Midyear amended general fund 2024-25 budget: approved (voice vote). - Superintendent goals (with added M-STEP baseline subgoal): approved (voice vote). - Board complaint policy (second-reading draft): tabled and referred to policy committee with legal counsel: approved (motion to table; voice vote). - Appointment to fill board vacancy (Jeff Cypress): approved (roll-call vote recorded as 6 yes, 0 no).

Why it matters: the package of facilities contracts and the bond-series budget moves long-planned capital work into active procurement; the board's budget actions and the superintendent-goals addition set the district's near-term financial and accountability priorities. The policy referral preserves time for legal review and committee revision before any final board adoption.

What happens next: administration said athletic and pool work will be scheduled for summer construction to limit disruptions; bond-series expenditures will be tracked and reported during project closeouts; the policy committee will meet with legal counsel to refine the complaint-handling proposal and return recommendations to the full board.

(Reporting note: where the transcript reported only voice votes, this summary records the motion outcomes as the board announced at the meeting.)