Bethany board approves five-year districtwide custodial contract

The Bethany Public Schools Board of Education voted to approve a districtwide custodial-services contract with a vendor referred to during the meeting as "AHI," board members said. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with Board member Palmer, Board member Walstad, Board member Gates, Board member Pettit and Board member Jaggers recorded as voting yes.

Board discussion focused on scope and staffing for the contract and why some local contractors did not bid. A staff member told the board that some Oklahoma-based building contractors "did not show up to the mandatory pre bid meeting," and that the district had not received bids from that group this time. The staff member said Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma City was one of the references contacted and gave a "glowing review."

Board members and staff discussed the contract term and operational details. The staff member said, "It is pretty typical. Like our Sodexo, our food service, is a 5 year contract. It is pretty typical. It's also pretty typical of language in there that says it'll auto renew, unless either party in writing notifies somebody else." The board discussed that the term felt long to some members but noted it is commonly used for district service contracts.

The board also reviewed how daily on-site coverage would work. The staff member said the contract includes regular on-site coverage "—there will be somebody that's on-site every day, and then there will be somebody above them that comes periodically"—and discussed use of "dayporters" for routine trash pickup, sanitizing and locker-room cleaning. The board noted the district previously employed a staff custodian whose duties included some outside tasks; that employee recently resigned, and the new contract is expected to provide coverage without adding a new district hire. The staff member said the company would provide additional employees so response times improve compared with a single custodian.

The contract review also emphasized added contractual accountability provisions. A staff member said the district "likes the details that are in this contract" because they provide "much more accountability that is associated with it" and let the district point to specific requirements in the contract.

The motion to approve the contract was made during the meeting and passed by roll call. The board did not discuss any competing bids at length in public other than noting that some contractors did not attend the mandatory pre-bid meeting.

Board members did not identify any immediate follow-up votes tied to the contract; staff said they had completed a tracking review of the contract language and would continue contract oversight.