Clark County board accepts Palmer Engineering to explore traffic solutions near Baker Stroud and preschool
Summary
The Clark County board voted 5–0 to accept a letter of interest from Palmer Engineering to study traffic near the Baker Stroud area and the preschool; staff said engineering fees are governed by KDE percentage rules, not by supplier pricing.
The Clark County Public Education Board voted to accept a letter of interest from Palmer Engineering to explore possible traffic solutions near the Baker Stroud area and the district preschool.
Brandon Watkins presented the solicitation results, saying the district received two letters and recommending Palmer Engineering because the firm is local to Winchester and has prior experience working with area schools. "My recommendation is to go with Palmer, because they are local in Winchester and and have, quite a bit of background working in the area with the school system," Watkins said.
Board members asked whether the selection was a matter of price. Watkins replied that cost comparisons are not part of the selection at this stage and explained that "those fees are set by KDE" and are a percentage of the total project cost, meaning the fee percentage is determined by the Kentucky Department of Education's rules for architect/engineering contracts.
The board approved accepting Palmer Engineering's letter of interest by a voice vote that passed 5–0. The board directed staff to proceed to scope potential work with the firm; the Facilities/Operations office will return with a scope and timeline for board consideration.
No dollar amounts were discussed at the meeting; Watkins said fees are percentage-based under KDE policy.
