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Board discusses capital-project oversight and procurement transparency after audit
Summary
Board members and commenters raised questions about large capital-project contracts, a consultant's scope and the need to disclose bidder counts and selection rationale; administrators promised contract copies and to improve RFP transparency.
Board members raised concerns about capital-project oversight and contract transparency during discussion of consent and procurement items.
A board member said she had requested the original contract for a capital-project consultant who has billed the district up to a reported $275,000 and had not received it prior to the meeting. Board members asked the administration to provide the consultant's scope of work and the original contract so the board could assess possible duplication of services and confirm value.
Administration responded that the consultant, identified in the meeting as Mr. Thurnau, bills for on-site time as a capital-project consultant; staff said the district has multiple active projects including HVAC, a New Windsor Elementary School project and a locker-room project and noted consultant work supports bidding, construction management and state closeout activities. District staff committed to providing the original contract and a scope-of-work summary before the next regular meeting.
Public commenters and a board member also urged that future bid awards include the number of bidders and the rationale for selection, a recommendation that had been in the forensic audit. A public speaker said disclosing bidder counts would "go a long way toward making the public feel like we have information." District staff agreed that future award reports to the board and the public would include bidder counts and the reasons for selection where appropriate.
Board members discussed creating or reactivating a facilities or capital projects committee that meets regularly so board members can review bids, contracts and project status in more detail; the board agreed to pursue that recommendation.
