Committee recommends one-year extension for Hammerman & Gainer project-management contract for South Terrebonne repairs

The Buildings, Food Service and Transportation Committee recommended that the full board approve a one-year extension of the district's construction project management contract with Hammerman and Gainer LLC for the South Terrebonne High School repair project.

The recommendation would extend the existing contract under the same compensation limit of 4% per final approved project worksheet and at the same hourly rates for the current South Terrebonne repair project, for a maximum period from Feb. 6, 2025 to Feb. 6, 2026 or until substantial completion, subject to board attorney review.

Some committee members expressed reservations during discussion. One member said the contract should be considered at the full board meeting rather than in committee. Another member said the district's architects and in-house maintenance staff could handle project management and that adding external project managers increases costs; that member said they would not support the extension. Other members said recent feedback on the contractor's work had been positive and supported continuing the relationship while holding the firm to performance expectations. No recorded roll-call vote was taken in committee; the chair noted no committee objections and ordered the recommendation forward to the board.

The item will go to the full board for final action. The committee record indicates the superintendent had previously communicated with board members about the extension.