Novi board approves $175,512 kitchen upgrade to expand high‑school grab‑and‑go service

The Novi Community School District Board of Education on Jan. 22 approved a $175,512.95 purchase to replace several aging kitchen appliances at Novi High School and add additional grab‑and‑go service equipment.

The motion, made by Trustee Paul Cook and seconded on the floor, directed the district to pay for the upgrades from the food‑service fund. The board approved the purchase on a voice vote.

Administrators presented an inventory that recommended replacing ovens and adding HATCO-style 'glides' to expand hot‑food grab‑and‑go capacity. Kim Sinclair, the district's director of food service, said the plan would also reuse or sell older equipment to recoup funds: "We have some refrigerators that we have gotten fixed, and so these are coming in, and they're gonna replace the ones that we have and then we're gonna sell that older equipment, and we'll use it for the general fund," Sinclair said.

District staff told trustees they obtained three vendor quotes and that the competitive process produced substantial savings; several items can be delivered within 2–3 weeks, while other pieces may take about eight weeks. Administrators cautioned that tariffs and supply‑chain changes could still affect final pricing.

Trustees asked for additional budget details before final implementation. Board members requested a line‑item breakdown of the food‑service fund balance and a broader "spend‑down" plan; administration said it would provide those figures and follow up at the next meeting. The district noted the food‑service fund had an approximate balance of $2.7 million, which staff described as typical for districts with high meal participation.

The board asked staff to prioritize equipment purchases that would not be undone by scheduled capital projects associated with the district bond program. Administrators said they had coordinated with the bond team and with King Scott Associates to avoid wasteful duplication.

Next steps: administration will finalize vendor contracts, circulate the requested fund‑balance details and a proposed spend‑down plan, and schedule installations consistent with vendor timelines.