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Committee approves MOA to extend $1.8 million equity grant for high-school auditorium work
Summary
The School Committee approved an MOA to request an extension of the district’s Equity Initiative grant to complete auditorium work, saying roughly $1.8 million remains for lighting, sound, rigging inspection and other priorities; the committee also discussed procurement routes and minority/woman business enterprise goals.
The Coventry School Committee voted 5–0 on May 7 to approve a memorandum of agreement requesting an extension for remaining Equity Initiative grant funds so the district can complete auditorium work at the high school.
Superintendent Don Cowart said the district originally budgeted the grant for several projects (gym improvements, science labs and auditorium work) and determined it will not be able to spend all of the auditorium money by the June 30 deadline. Cowart said Phil Conte, the architect supporting the building committee, recommended seeking an extension rather than rushing procurement.
Cowart told the committee there is approximately $1.8 million available for the auditorium, and he said the highest-priority work is stage lighting and a rigging inspection to confirm the existing support can carry modern fixtures. "We have about $1,800,000 available," Cowart said, and he described house-light and sound upgrades as additional needs. He also said the district needs to consider procurement approach—using an MPA-qualified list versus issuing an open RFQ/RFP—and that some specialized work (rigging inspection) likely won’t be available through the MPA list.
The administration also flagged MBE/WBE goals: the gym contract included about $477,000 of WBE-eligible spending but the district estimates it needs roughly another $325,000 of WBE/MBE-eligible work to meet the 15% target for the grant incentive. Cowart said procurement and sequencing decisions will account for that objective.
Committee members asked for timelines and whether critical inspection work could be done over summer to keep theater programs on schedule; Cowart said advisers are willing to accommodate summer work or to stage work after the December show if necessary. The committee approved the MOA extension unanimously; the chair said signatures will be collected to finalize the request.
Next steps: architect and administration will complete paperwork to request the grant extension, schedule the rigging inspection, and outline procurement and construction timing.
