Jordan School Board approves $10.86 million in summer projects, awards multiple construction and equipment bids

The Jordan School District Board of Education approved a package of summer projects and individual construction and equipment bids during its Feb. 25 business meeting, accepting the facilities committee’s recommendations that keep the district broadly within its capital-plan targets.

The board’s finance and facilities staff presented a list of summer 2025 projects with contracted bid totals, explaining the district originally budgeted about $10.5 million and received contractor bids totaling about $10.86 million. Staff said two projects were postponed (an interior renovation and a dome fabric replacement) and that certain items (seismic work, stadium sound and lighting) are funded from separate pots.

Votes at a glance (business meeting outcomes): - District administration furniture for Jordan Learning Center — motion approved (mover: Barnett; second: Robinson). Board approved purchasing furniture under a vendor discount arrangement tied to other purchases. Staff said vendor will store and stage deliveries to coincide with building completion. - Chiller replacement at West Jordan High School — motion approved (mover: Dean; second: Barnett). Staff said the chiller work is separate from planned WJHS renovation and should not be duplicated. - Stadium lighting and audio-visual upgrades at Copper Hills and West Jordan high schools — motion approved (mover: Dunford; second: Dean). Funding draws on a separate capital allocation earmarked for stadium improvements. - Greenhouse demolition at South Valley and replacement greenhouse (smaller scope) — motion approved (mover: Denford; second: Dean). The contracted work also included additional parking stalls, lighting, curb and gutter work. - Stair access improvements at Black Ridge Elementary — motion approved (mover: Robinson; second: Barnett). - Bingham High School parking lot expansion (option 2) — motion approved (mover: Dunford; second: Robinson). Board discussed moving the marquee area and improving lot access. - Riverton High School ATC (advanced technical center) upgrades — motion approved (mover: Barrow; second: Barnett). - South Jordan Middle School full renovation (Option 3, including alternates 1 & 2) — motion approved (mover: Barrow; second: Robinson). Staff confirmed Option 3 includes seismic mitigation identified in prior assessments. - Transportation items: CNG tank replacements on school buses, third-party transportation services for special-education routes, and replacement of special-education buses — approved (mover: Robinson; second: Dunford). Staff said third-party special-education transport is used only for a small number of outlying cases (seven students at the time of the meeting) and that the RFP was structured as a multiyear contract to secure more favorable pricing.

Why it matters: The board’s approvals finalize the vendor selection and let purchasing and facilities staff proceed with contracts and summer schedules. Staff told the board the capital projects fund remains healthy and the district has a buffer large enough to cover the roughly $300,000 amount that staff said would be acceptable to exceed the initial allocation.

What they said: Facilities staff (Scott Thomas and Dave Rostrum) walked the board through bid tabs, alternates, and prequalification procedures. Thomas described prequalification steps for larger projects (bonding, portfolios, financing) and said prequalification reduced the pool to contractors the district judged able to complete complex summer schedules. Dave Rostrum and other staff explained contingency planning for big jobs, including temporary food-service solutions during kitchen work.

Ending: Board members asked staff to present the project list again at the business meeting (agenda items and bid forms were on the business agenda). Staff said the capital projects fund target remains above the district’s minimum; the board approved the bids and gave staff direction to proceed.