Board approves $65,000 parking-lot alternative tied to DOE Clean Energy Grant; bus barn bids held

The Stark County CUSD #100 Board approved a $65,000 alternative bid (Alt. Bid C1) to Potter and Sons for replacement of the elementary staff parking lot and directed that the cost be paid from the DOE Clean Energy Grant once federal funds are released. The motion passed 7-0 on June 15.

Superintendent Brett Elliott told the board that the district has one asphalt/concrete bid from Potter and Sons: a base bid of $107,909 covering a concrete apron, the main entrance to the bus barn, an asphalt bus lane and additional gravel, plus an alternative bid of $65,000 for the staff parking lot. Elliott recommended awarding the alternative bid only, citing that grant funds have not yet been released and that approving the full base bid would commit grant-dependent work before funds arrive. Elliott warned there is a risk the grant money might not be released; if that occurs, the district would be required to fund the work locally.

The board also reviewed two electric bus barn bids—Greiner Buildings ($100,300 with a $31,288.55 garage-door alternate) and T & J Builders ($72,500)—and a separate garage-door installation quote from Sullivan Door ($9,950). Because funding from the DOE Clean Energy Grant is not expected to be released until October at the earliest, the board took no action on the bus barn bids and instructed the superintendent to seek bid extensions beyond 30 days. As Elliott summarized, “funding from the grant will not be released until October at the earliest.”

Board members weighed the district’s liability concerns (noting the elementary staff parking lot’s condition) against the uncertainty of grant timing and chose to proceed with the parking-lot alternative now while holding larger site work until funding is certain.