The David Douglas School District board on Thursday approved an increase to the Mill Park Elementary School construction contract after a fire marshal inspection required additional upgrades, district staff said. The board voted in favor after a brief presentation and a roll-call vote.

District staff member Kat told the board that the fire marshal and parks officials initially signed off on permits, then later inspected the site and required upgrades. “You need to do some upgrades. So we finally got the costs in. This is something that we do need to do,” Kat said. Kat said the district is asking for an increase to the contract and that some work will “probably bleed a little bit into the school year,” though staff will “try to do that as much as we can in nonimpact time.”

The motion to approve the increase was made by Director Stevens and seconded by Kumar Jerson. In a roll-call vote the board recorded “aye” from Directors Stevens and Stevenson, Dr. Damira Dortzen and Franklin, and the motion carried. The board took the vote at an emergency meeting called with limited notice. District staff member Ken thanked the board and noted the meeting was convened because of the urgency: “this is 1 of those things that came up with construction that happens sometimes,” he said, and explained why the district labels the session an emergency meeting.

Discussion was limited to the staff explanation of the inspection findings, the cost submission and scheduling implications. There was no recorded amendment to the motion and no additional conditions recorded in the meeting minutes. The transcript does not specify the exact dollar amount of the requested increase; the presenter described the amount in imprecise terms and did not provide a clear final figure on the record.

The approval authorizes district staff to proceed with the upgrades identified by the fire marshal and to adjust the construction contract accordingly; the transcript does not state whether the work requires any additional external approvals or permits beyond the fire marshal’s requirements. The board adjourned after the vote.