Ouachita Parish School Board approves $193,015 change order for West Monroe High athletic training room

The Ouachita Parish School Board approved a $193,015.56 change order for Bid No. 5224 to complete the athletic training room at West Monroe High School at a regularly scheduled meeting. The board voted to accept the change order after staff reported that prior deducts and an allowance for whirlpools left the project short of funds.

Board presenter Mr. Hemphill said the project team had removed items from the original bid to bring costs down, but the $150,000 allowance for whirlpools proved insufficient. “So the total change order is a $193,015.56 that we're asking, for a change order to move forward with this project,” Mr. Hemphill said.

The board packet presented at the meeting showed $665,628 in deducts taken from the contract to reduce scope. Mr. Hemphill told the board the original whirlpool installations had been designed to sit in pits; the design was revised so the whirlpools would sit on pedestals, which reduced cost but still required the additional funding. “3, I believe,” Hemphill said when asked how many whirlpools would be installed.

A board member moved to approve the change order; another seconded the motion and the motion carried with all members present voting in favor. The board did not specify line-item funding sources for the additional $193,015.56 in the meeting record.

With the vote, staff may proceed with the revised installation and remaining work on the West Monroe High athletic training room. The board did not set a new project completion date during the discussion.