Clay County board approves bids request for Henry Springs windows and dark-fiber lease

The Clay County Board of Education on Nov. 13 approved two solicitations for vendor bids: one to replace windows and install sliding coverings at Henry Springs School and another to rebid a dark-fiber lease so mileage omitted from prior E-rate filings can be included.

Board members voted to request bids for the Henry Springs window project after staff described seven classrooms and the auditorium as needing replacement. The board noted that some grant funding from the district’s Safe Schools program will be applied to the work. “We would ask that we request bids for this project and, see if we can wrap it up,” a board member said during discussion; the motion to request bids passed after a voice vote.

In a separate presentation, an information-technology staff member said the district discovered roughly “3 to 5 miles of fiber” from Oak Grove to Hermitage Springs that had not been part of prior E-rate calculations after a phone-system replacement. The staff member said rebidding the fiber lease would allow the district to include that mileage in E-rate filings and receive 90% reimbursement on that portion rather than pay the full cost. “So we need to request to rebid that so we can include that mileage into that E-rate total, and that will let you guys receive a reimbursement of 90% on that mileage of fiber lease,” the staff member said.

The board approved both bid requests by voice vote. Motion records show the window-bid motion was moved by Mr. Ashlock and seconded by Mr. Melton; the rebid for the dark-fiber lease was presented by staff and approved as moved on the floor.

The board packet included a rendering for the proposed window work at Henry Springs; the district will evaluate returned bids and determine final funding allocations.

Next steps: staff will publish bid solicitations and return with bid results and cost estimates for board review.