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Board approves $147,859 playground purchase for Lady Marshall Dent Elementary
Summary
The St. Mary's County Board of Education approved a contract to replace aging playground equipment at Lady Marshall Dent Elementary using an HGAC contract, funded from the district's local renovation budget with a $15,000 contingency.
The St. Mary's County Board of Education approved a contract June 4 to replace an aging playground at Lady Marshall Dent Elementary School.
The board voted to purchase playground equipment and installation from Playground Specialists Incorporated using Houston-Galveston Area Council contract PR11-20 for $147,859.10, with a $15,000 contingency for removal of the old equipment and installation. The purchase will be funded from the district's limited renovation local funds, the presenter said.
The superintendent’s maintenance presenter told the board the middle playground on the school's campus is past its life expectancy and that the project will restore the district standard of having separate play areas for ages 2–5 and 5–12. The proposed installation includes inclusive features: accessible panels sized for wheelchair access, communication boards, sensory and musical elements, slides and climbing components, and surfacing designed to meet ADA considerations. The presenter said the vendor offers a turnkey design-and-install approach and that PlayWorld, the manufacturer represented under the HGAC contract, was offering a manufacturer discount before July price increases.
Board members noted the playground also serves families using adjacent district sports fields and that routine maintenance inspections (performed twice yearly) inform the district’s replacement schedule. The presenter said fabrication and installation typically take several weeks after a purchase order is issued and that crews have worked during school-year schedules in prior years to minimize disruption.
The board approved the recommendation by voice vote. The presenter said the district will issue a purchase order immediately if the motion passed so fabrication can begin.
Funding and implementation details: the project will use the district’s local limited renovation funds. The presenter recommended the PO be issued promptly to lock current pricing; final installation timing will depend on production and contractor scheduling.
