School board approves contractor bids, change orders and policy revision; schedules executive session

The Lafourche Parish School Board voted to approve a package of land, facilities and policy actions at its meeting, moving forward with several construction projects, repair change orders and a policy revision required by the board’s policy committee.

Major procurement and facilities approvals included change orders tied to Hurricane Ida repairs and other storm damage, the award of a low bid for a bus yard project, replacement of fan coil units at Cut Off Elementary and the hiring of engineers for sanitary-piping replacement at South Lafourche High School. The board also approved a revision to policy JCDAE (student computer and technology use) as recommended by the policy and academic committee.

Several items prompted brief staff remarks about scheduling and scope. Facilities staff said the sanitary piping that collapsed at South Lafourche High School dated to the 1960s, has been temporarily stabilized, and that several boys’ bathrooms and showers in the gym-adjacent corridor are currently out of service; the district reported it will give the contractor a short turnaround and set a 30-day project construction time in the contract. A district staff member told the board, “It should not be a long lead time,” referring to required replacement components. Another staff member said the project amount is below the threshold that requires full public advertisement.

After completing the listed votes, the board reappointed two members to the Board of Commissions of Special Education District 1 and approved a motion to enter executive session under Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:17.7 to consider an expulsion appeal.

Votes at a glance - Approve revisions to policy JCDAE (student computer and technology use): approved (motion carries). - Sancho Elementary classroom addition: approve change order adding 18 days for adverse weather: approved (motion carries). - Lafourche Parish School District bus yard project: award low bid to 4 A Contracting Group LLC — base bid $3,130,000; alternate 1 $617,000; alternate 2 $117,000; rejected alternate 3 $183,000; design fee $291,996.52; summed project components total $4,155,996.52 (see clarifying note): approved (motion carries). - Lockport Lower Elementary new canopy installation: approve change order for additional cut, demo and concrete removal — $5,924.78: approved (motion carries). - (Centimeters/Center) Washington Elementary School canopy/repair: approve Hurricane Ida repair change order — $13,818.38: approved (motion carries). - Galliena Elementary School annex outside renovations: award low bid to Bollard Inc — base $229,900; alternate 1 $41,500; alternate 2 rejected $240,300; design fee $31,153; total project amount $302,553: approved (motion carries). - Bayou Blue Middle School gymnasium hurricane repairs: award low bid to Edward J. Lapereuse Metal Works — base $285,297; alternate 1 $7,899; design fee $45,698; total $338,894: approved (motion carries). - Central Lafourche High School Auxiliary Gym Repair: hire Planis Design Group PC, OPC $553,444: approved (motion carries). - Cut Off Elementary fan coil unit replacements: award low bid to Balute for $1,148,900: approved (motion carries). - South Lafourche High School sanitary piping renovation: hire Casinos Goodwin Utley Engineers LLC for design, OPC $201,105; contract time set as 30 days; approved (motion carries). - Reappoint Beth Cherry and Chad College to the Board of Commissions of Special Education District 1 for six-year terms beginning 2025-04-03 through 2031-04-02: approved (motion carries). - Enter executive session under LA RS 42:17.7 to consider a student expulsion appeal: motion approved; board entered executive session.

The board recorded the motions as "motion carries" for the listed items; specific roll-call tallies were not read into the record for these votes.