St. John the Baptist school board approves multiple contract extensions, awards $1.475 million HVAC bid and $1.28 million maintenance budget

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board on May 8 approved a string of procurement actions that included one-year contract extensions, vendor awards for supplies and a $1,475,000 HVAC contract for LaPlace Elementary School.

Board members voted to extend contracts for welding supplies to Industrial Welding & Gas Supply, locksmith services to Silver and Gold Locksmith, vendor apparel to Advance Marketing and BSN, and pest control to Bay Pest Control. The board also awarded supply contracts to Air Nu (AC supplies), Monopoly Rental Properties (electrical supplies) and Southern Pipe & Supply (plumbing supplies). Motions were typically moved by board members and carried by recorded roll call votes.

The board accepted a low bid from Dove Group for HVAC work at LaPlace Elementary in the amount of $1,475,000 following a request from Ryan Smith of Volkert. The motion to accept the Dove Group bid was made by Frizzell and seconded by Mamou and recorded as approved by the board.

Separately, the board set and approved an estimated budget for summer maintenance projects totaling about $1,280,000, including: pressure washing and painting (estimated $700,000); a cooling tower replacement at La. G. J. H. (estimated $95,000); stripping and waxing floors (estimated $185,000); and concrete and other miscellaneous repairs (estimated $300,000). The maintenance budget motion was moved by Mitchell-Williams and seconded by DeFrancesch; the motion carried with eight yeas and one nay (Burl).

Board member Burl asked that a prior understanding — that past contract extensions were made with vendors at no price increase or at a reduced price — be recorded. "When we’ve extended contracts in the past, it was agreed upon with the vendor that there would be no price increase or at a lesser price," Burl said. That concern was placed in the record; the motions to extend or award contracts were carried as recorded in the roll calls.

The board also approved construction-related change orders: Change Order 2 from Yeates Mancil Architects adding $48,461.82 and 10 days for additional insulation at the Emily C. Watkins gym/security project; and Change Order 7 from Lachin Architects for $2,351 covering lighting, gate sensors, a water fountain and flooring at West St. John Elementary. Both change orders were approved by roll call.

The procurement approvals and budget decisions were part of the board’s regular business agenda and were adopted by recorded vote. The meeting adjourned at 8:03 p.m.