Board authorizes bids for hurricane-related abatement, remediation and air-quality monitoring

At a Feb. 24, 2022 special meeting, the school board authorized the purchasing department to advertise for bids on multiple hurricane-related services: general abatement services in response to storm damage, third-party air-quality monitoring, and abatement/remediation services specific to Eleanor Memorial High School.

The superintendent read the recommendations to advertise for bids. The first recommendation—advertising for bids for abatement services in response to “hurricane Bridal” as transcribed—was moved by Miss Soleil and seconded by Mister Matthew Ford; the transcript records no objections and the chair said “so ordered.” The second recommendation—to advertise for bids for third-party air-quality monitoring in response to Hurricane Ida—was moved by Mister Clyde Hamner and seconded by Miss Debbie Benoit; the transcript again shows the motion moved and seconded with no roll-call vote recorded. The third recommendation—advertising for abatement and remediation services for Eleanor Memorial High School in response to Hurricane Ida—was moved by Mister Matthew Ford and seconded by Mister Beiser; board members questioned whether there was word on intentions to rebuild or rent Eleanor Memorial, and the superintendent said architects were asked to provide a cost analysis by March 8.

Discussion primarily focused on scope and site specificity. Board members asked whether the abatement procurement covered all district buildings or would be targeted; the superintendent said it could cover multiple buildings “in the event we need,” and explained that one of the motions was specific to Eleanor Memorial High School and included abatement and remediation. For the Eleanor Memorial item, the superintendent confirmed the procurement is a two-part action (abatement and remediation) and that architects would produce cost estimates before the board makes further decisions about rebuilding or other options.

The transcript uses both “Hurricane Bridal” and “Hurricane Ida” in separate agenda items; the superintendent read items referring to response to storm damage. The motions were moved and seconded; the transcript does not include roll-call tallies for these items. Several motions concluded with the chair asking for objections and no objections were recorded in the transcript.

(Reporting note: the transcript contains inconsistent name spellings for some board members and alternates between the names “Bridal” and “Ida” when referencing the hurricane. This article reports the transcript language and records the March 8 date for architects’ cost analysis as provided by the superintendent.)