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Board hears proposal to insource technicians while keeping Five Star as engineering partner
Summary
Administrators proposed converting contracted on-site tech positions into district employees, expanding the technology director role to 260 days, and retaining Five Star for deep-network engineering and cloud services; trustees asked for vendor proposals and cost comparisons before a final decision.
District leaders outlined a plan to restructure technology services that would retain Five Star as the district’s engineering and managed‑service partner while bringing on-site technicians under district employment.
Administration said Five Star provides core network engineering, cloud services and virtual backup and estimated that the firm’s engineering services cost the district roughly $36,000 per year. The proposal would transition contracted on-site technicians into district positions, convert the director of technology to a 260‑day role to cover summer infrastructure work, and rely on Five Star for high-level networking expertise. Administrators presented preliminary cost scenarios and said they solicited proposals from multiple vendors to compare managed‑service options.
Superintendent and board members discussed tradeoffs including continuity, turnover in contractor staffing, the district’s need for deep networking engineering versus day‑to‑day device support, and options such as a virtual help desk subscription. Trustees requested the full set of vendor proposals and a formal recommendation, and the administration said it would return at the April meeting with contract language and comparative bids.
No formal action was taken; the board asked staff to provide more details, including vendor proposals and a clear implementation cost schedule.
