School board approves maintenance, lighting and East High tennis-court relocation contracts

The Laramie County School District #1 Board of Trustees voted March 2 to approve several capital and maintenance contracts, including a $510,000 fee proposal for transportation-envelope work, two lighting contracts totaling $418,500, and a $1,223,676 contract to relocate East High School's tennis courts.

Mr. Knapp, who presented the projects, said the envelope work at the transportation building will include insulation and exterior repairs and that gym lighting at Central, South and East high schools will be converted to LEDs to improve efficiency and reduce maintenance. He described the East High tennis-court project as a multi-year request: the courts will be removed from their current parking-lot edge and rebuilt on the east side of Okie Field between East High and Carey Junior High. The board noted the tennis-court award is contingent on the Cheyenne Community Recreation District approving the construction budget.

The board approved a motion to accept a fee proposal with Recco (DBA 5R) for $510,000 (including a 10% contingency) for envelope and insulation work at the transportation facility. Trustees also approved fee proposals with Simpson Electric ($126,000) and Pole Mountain Electric ($292,500) for lighting replacements across district sites; Trustee Burden recused from the lighting vote for a stated conflict of interest. The board then approved a $1,223,676 fee proposal with SNS Builders for the East High tennis-court relocation to be paid from the Cheyenne Community Recreation District.

When Trustee Cook asked what would replace the courts, Mr. Knapp said removal of the post-tension slabs will allow the district to expand parking as part of a future East High design and renovation project if funding aligns. On timing, Mr. Knapp said the tennis-court work would go out for bid shortly after April and move through construction over the summer, with courts likely available in the fall, if funding and approvals proceed as expected.

All motions were approved by voice vote after discussion; where recusals occurred those trustees stepped aside for the applicable vote. The projects join other maintenance items on the district's major-maintenance list and will advance to bidding and contracting steps or to partner agencies for final budget approval where required.