Shawnee Heights approves trimmed McElroy's contract while planning to hire in-house HVAC and plumbing staff

The Shawnee Heights board approved a reduced service agreement with McElroy's that will provide one technician on-site one day per week at a contract cost of $60,000 for the coming year. Director of operations framed the renewal as a "soft landing" to maintain familiarity and allow time to hire two in-house positions (an HVAC technician and a plumber). The board approved the contract unanimously.

Operations staff told trustees the reduced McElroy's presence, plus newly hired personnel, should produce comparable or improved service at a lower ongoing contract cost; however, trustees pressed for a clearer, itemized cost analysis and asked about tools and vehicle needs associated with adding staff. The operations director said he could cap anticipated tool and vehicle costs and that most summer preventative maintenance work could be handled in-house with modest tooling costs.

A board member asked for a post-implementation audit; operations staff committed to a year-end audit to compare total maintenance costs against the prior contract year and to return recommendations on whether further contract reductions are feasible.

What happens next: District staff will proceed with the McElroy's contract renewal, begin hiring the two maintenance positions, and provide a one-year cost audit comparing the new staffing-and-contract approach with past expenditures.