Board approves resolution rejecting reroof bids at Arlington High, plans expedited re-bid

Board members voted to adopt Resolution 2604 to reject all bids for the Arlington High School reroof project after district staff discovered the original bid package failed to require subcontractor listings required under recent legal changes.

Brian Lewis, the district's executive director of operations, told the board the district received seven bids but later learned five of those bidders had not submitted the subcontractor listings at the time of bid, creating an uneven playing field and a compliance issue. "We made a mistake and didn't catch it," Lewis said, explaining that contractors and counsel advised rejecting the bids and re-bidding to comply with the law.

Lewis said the district had already re-advertised in order to preserve schedule. The planned re-bid timetable includes a two-week advertisement window followed by a bid opening next Thursday and a special board meeting scheduled for June 2 to accept a bid. The district aims for substantial completion of the roof work by Aug. 28 to allow safe occupancy during the school year.

Director Watts moved approval of the resolution; the motion carried on roll-call votes recorded in the meeting minutes (Directors Diamond, Kelly, Watts, President Levesque and Director Knapp voted yes). The board did not identify a low bidder at tonight's meeting because the district followed counsel's advice to re-bid to ensure fairness and legal compliance.

Board members asked about timeline and student safety during construction; Lewis said the vendor selection and construction schedule were planned to maintain a safe environment for students and staff during the work.

Next steps: staff will finalize re-advertisement documents, accept compliant bids during the planned special meeting and return to the board to award a contract.