School board approves Lewis and Clark HVAC GMP, furniture purchases and finds HR policies in compliance

At its Feb. 9 meeting the Williston Basin School District 7 board approved several deferred-maintenance and administrative actions, including a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) amendment for the Lewis and Clark HVAC replacement and acceptance of furniture bids for Solen Elementary, and it found two monitoring reports in compliance.

Ryan Anderson of J. Dunn presented the Lewis and Clark HVAC GMP amendment and recapped scope and budget history. Anderson told the board the original budget for the work was $2.4 million, investigations revealed piping did not require replacement and adding fresh-air features brought the project back in line with budget. Anderson said the GMP package — including design fees, a $100,000 owner contingency and a $70,000 allowance for asbestos abatement — left the district about $305,455 under the tracked deferred-maintenance total. "Overall we came in really well," Anderson said, summarizing bid participation and projected schedule.

Following the presentation the board moved to incorporate the GMP amendment; the motion carried on roll call.

The planning team and DG Architects recommended furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) packages for Solen Elementary. The administration reported a low bid of $979,292.69 and recommended selecting the basis-of-design package — an additional $6,347 — for a total of $985,640.62 to match furniture staff had tested. The board approved the recommendation.

On governance matters, administrators presented an OE4 monitoring report covering safe and equitable hiring, volunteer background checks and ongoing staff training. Board members voted to find OE4 in compliance and to accept the superintendent’s interpretation as reasonable. The board also reviewed R15 (policy on human-resources goals: retention and onboarding), received exit-interview and Vital Network survey results (staff participation reported to be high, with about 73 percent of exit-interview respondents saying they would recommend the district), and voted R15 in compliance.

Consent agendas were taken later in the meeting: the superintendent consent agenda and the board consent agenda were approved after motions and roll-call votes; one member recorded a dissent on the superintendent consent agenda.

Board members praised long-serving educator John Monger following the consent votes; Monger resigned after 36 years with the district.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to find OE4 in compliance and accept the superintendent interpretation — outcome: approved (roll call recorded; specific tally not specified in transcript). - Motion to find R15 in compliance and accept the interpretation — outcome: approved (roll call recorded; specific tally not specified in transcript). - Motion to approve Lewis and Clark HVAC GMP amendment and associated contract language — outcome: approved (motion carried). - Motion to approve Solen Elementary furniture package (basis of design) — outcome: approved (motion carried). - Superintendent and board consent agendas — outcome: approved (one dissent recorded on the superintendent agenda).

The board directed staff to proceed with ordering equipment and subcontracting for approved capital work, with construction scheduled to take place primarily over the summer and some rooftop air-handler work possibly to be completed after school start if necessary.