Averill Park board approves cooperative purchasing agreements and authorizes emergency capital work contract

The Averill Park Central School District Board of Education at its July 9 meeting approved a set of cooperative purchasing resolutions to secure electricity, natural gas and procurement services and authorized related participations that district officials said should help the district access better rates through consortium purchasing.

Administrators explained the resolutions allow the district to participate in regional cooperative purchasing programs including cooperative energy purchasing for electricity and natural gas and procurement cooperative bids run by Capital Region BOCES; the board approved the motions unanimously where recorded.

Separately, the board authorized the law firm Shaw Harrison May Lambert LLP to serve as legal counsel for work on a capital project and approved Phase 1 emergency work at Eagle Park High School with a contract amount presented in the meeting of $969,515.91. The firm and related contract were presented to the board as part of capital project oversight and emergency repairs; the board moved to approve the contract and legal engagement as presented.

Board members also approved participation in additional cooperative purchasing groups (Equalis and others) and a resolution to allow Capital Region BOCES purchasing access for school food procurement, with administration noting that the district maintains a full-time food-service director to oversee quality and vendor choices.

District officials said cooperative procurement provides purchasing power and choice within vendor bids and does not replace district oversight of services such as school food. The board recorded the resolutions and authorized staff to proceed with contracting and procurement under the adopted resolutions.