Lee County School Board OKs $5.35 million painting‑services renewal after debate over rising costs

The Lee County School Board on Dec. 1 approved a one‑year renewal of a districtwide painting‑services contract after members debated the scope and rising cost. Superintendent Doctor Carlin recommended renewing ITN N227428LA, listing several vendors, for the first renewal period of Jan. 10, 2026, through Jan. 9, 2027, for up to $5,350,000 and authorizing the superintendent to execute related documents.

Board member Miss Giovinelli questioned the increase in cost compared with previous renewals, saying the line item rose from about $2,000,000 in 2023 to roughly $5,000,000 in recent years and that not all projects cited for comparison were apples‑to‑apples. “I want to make sure we’re not putting a Band Aid on a greater problem because we put a lot of money in Riverdale,” she said, noting concern that an interior vs. exterior comparison may have skewed perceived scope and cost.

Mr. Fisher and other members responded that the proposed amounts fell within the scope of prior work and praised recent efforts to address deferred maintenance. Fisher noted the district is “trying to play catch up” on building upkeep and called the recommendation consistent with previous contracts.

After discussion the board took a roll‑call vote and approved the renewal unanimously, 7–0. The contract renewal covers multiple named firms and is limited to the dates and dollar cap the superintendent outlined. The board did not amend the recommendation; it voted to renew under the same terms and conditions previously approved.

The contract renewal was discussed as pulled item Q13 from the consent agenda; board members also were introduced to administrators whose assignments were approved as part of the consent package earlier in the meeting.