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Lakewood Board approves consent agenda including $96,627 security upgrade, transportation awards and multi‑million bills lists
Summary
At its July 17 meeting the Lakewood Board of Education adopted a broad consent agenda that approved multiple bills lists totaling millions, awarded and corrected several transportation contracts, and authorized a $96,627 expansion of the Xtract One weapons-detection system at three school entrances.
The Lakewood Board of Education adopted a sweeping consent agenda on July 17 that included the approval of multiple bills lists, corrections and awards to transportation contracts, and a $96,627 purchase to expand a smart concealed-weapons detection system at three school main entrances.
The board approved the 2023–24 warrant bills list for July 17, 2024, in the amount of $7,965,701.52, a supplemental list of $6,816,796.08 and a 2024–25 bills list of $2,067,792.79. The motion to approve the business agenda and associated financial items was moved by Heriberto Rodriguez and seconded by Moshe Bender; the motion carried with aye votes recorded as listed on the agenda.
Why it matters: these approvals authorize the district to settle outstanding vendor invoices and to spend on transportation, payroll, and operational services needed for the opening of the 2024–25 school year.
Among procurement actions, the board authorized an expansion of the district’s Xtract One (formerly Patriot One) smart detection concealed-weapons system by four additional lanes at Lakewood High School, Lakewood Middle School and Oak Street School for a total project cost of $96,627. The agenda description notes the system uses artificial‑intelligence detection technologies; the purchase was recorded to the account shown in the business agenda and approved as part of the consent votes.
Transportation awards and corrections were a significant portion of the consent agenda. The board recorded corrections to prior awards (for example, a correction to a Seman‑Tov award to be $351,720) and recorded a set of per‑route awards for vendors including Klarr Transport, DAG Transport, Jay’s, A&M and Seman‑Tov. The agenda also authorized a parental contract arrangement for medically necessary student transport in accordance with NJAC 6A:27 provisions and referenced a settlement docket supporting one contract.
The board accepted a contract renewal for Meadowbrook Industries LLC for trash and recycling services (a monthly charge shown in the agenda of $9,489.45 for 2024–25 after a 2.5% renewal increase) and recorded a range of other vendor agreements, including Conner Strong & Buckelew as district broker and Brightly (SchoolDude) software renewals.
The motion records show routine consent voting: most motions were moved by Heriberto Rodriguez and seconded by Moshe Bender or other board members and carried with the majority present. Members Ada Gonzalez, Chanina Nakdimen and Isaac Zlatkin were not present at roll call votes recorded in the agenda.
What’s next: the consent items authorize staff to finalize contracts and to proceed with the purchases and renewals listed. Several items (notably transportation renewals tied to nonpublic‑school grants) reference state grant deadlines and require work to be completed by the dates specified in the agenda.
