Loveland board approves $893,000 HVAC controls and carpeting purchases, rejects rooftop bids; authorizes potential land purchase

The Loveland School Board on Monday approved multiple facilities and procurement items and set parameters to move a possible land purchase toward closing.

Business staff asked the board to approve final HVAC controls and bipolar ionization units for the middle and intermediate schools at a total cost of $893,000; the motion passed by roll call. Business manager (speaker 10) described the controls work as the final phase of a multi‑year controls replacement and said the project should carry the district for at least the next decade. "It will take probably 6 to 8 months to get this building done," the presenter said, noting the timeline would likely target completion by next summer.

The board also approved purchase and installation of carpeting for the board offices, the elementary media center and Room 209 (agenda listed line amounts of $71,790, $19,465 and $5,490). The carpeting purchase will use a state Department of Administrative Services pre‑bid consortium, the presenter said, so the district did not run a separate bid process for those items.

Separately, trustees approved a resolution to reject all bids for rooftop HVAC units at the Loveland Middle School and to rebid the package with a clearer decibel specification for the auditorium; the board emphasized the need for very quiet units for plays and concerts. The board was told rebidding would not materially delay installation, given a roughly 16‑week delivery timeline on the units.

On financing and capital planning, Treasurer Mr. Espy explained that the Permanent Improvement (PI) Fund is used for capital projects and land acquisition and is not part of the general operating five‑year forecast. The board approved a resolution authorizing a tax‑anticipatory note that creates an upper borrowing threshold of $1,600,000 to support a pending land purchase; the treasurer stressed the resolution sets a ceiling and does not mean the district will borrow the full amount. After approving the authority, trustees moved into an executive session at 7:05 p.m. to discuss the property purchase in greater detail; they reconvened at 7:44 p.m. and took no further action before adjourning.

All procurement and finance motions recorded on the agenda were approved by roll call during the meeting; the minutes show votes were carried without recorded opposition except where abstentions were explicitly stated earlier on the minutes approval item. The board did not authorize final land acquisition paperwork in open session; the executive session was intended to discuss details and strategy related to the purchase.