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Board delays approval of David Crockett kitchen freezer/cooler contract, directs rebid effort
Summary
Facing a single bid for a $138,000 cooler/freezer replacement at David Crockett High School, the board asked staff to rebid the project to try to solicit additional proposals and discussed alternatives including adding a loading ramp; an amendment to re-release the request passed.
The Washington County Board of Education on Thursday agreed to reissue a solicitation after receiving only one bid to replace an aging cooler and freezer at David Crockett High School.
District staff and kitchen managers described repeated breakdowns and capacity constraints in the building’s original walk-in units. One board member urged the district to consider building an exterior ramp so staff could use dollies to move food, but others cautioned that a ramp would not address equipment longevity and could create safety risks for staff handling heavy loads.
Staff and the school’s kitchen leaders said the quoted price — roughly $138,000 — is driven primarily by the cost of the refrigeration equipment. Board members expressed concern about accepting a single bid without comparison; one trustee said the district ought to make an active effort to solicit additional vendors.
After discussion, a motion to approve the single bid was introduced and then amended to require staff to reissue the request and seek additional proposals. The amendment carried on a board vote (the transcript records the amendment passing with one no). Board members asked staff to aggressively solicit vendors and to consider a special called meeting if multiple bids arrive before the next regular workshop so the board could act quickly and allow work to proceed over the summer.
District staff noted timing constraints: installation will require the kitchen to be shut down for a period, so the preferred window is the summer. Staff also said the replacement appliance lead times and contractor schedules make summer installation preferable and that delaying the project could risk a mid-year failure with significant operational consequences.
No contract was awarded at Thursday’s meeting; staff were directed to solicit additional bids and report back with any new proposals for possible special-session consideration.
