East Grand Forks board approves five-year service contract with Johnson Controls

The East Grand Forks Public School District Board of Education on Monday approved a five-year service contract with Johnson Controls to provide management and diagnostic support for building controls across district facilities.

District staff told the board Johnson Controls already services controls in three buildings and has assisted with recent issues, including leaks and system outages. “They've been great. They've helped us,” a district staff member said, noting the company has provided ad hoc support at no charge in some instances and that the district’s primary contact is located in Grand Forks.

The resolution to authorize the contract emphasizes that it is meant to provide management and technical assistance while district staff complete transitions. Staff said the contract contains a 90-day termination clause that would allow the district to end the agreement with notice and that the district could reduce the level of service after the first year if staff capacity improves. The staff member described the work as “more of a management, helping learn, helping diagnose, kind of an educational piece.”

Board members asked whether the contract would cover emergency, around-the-clock service. Staff said the contract is not structured to provide a separate 24-hour emergency response; emergency repairs would be handled outside the regular contract terms and billed separately if needed. The district estimated the contracted support equates to approximately 12 hours of service per month under the full-year rate.

The board voted in favor of the contract. The motion passed with the board recording unanimous support among members present.