District says ESSER retainage can be released; SAVE project nearing closeout

District staff updated the board on ESSER closeout and SAVE construction status on March 9.

Will (speaker 14), who presented the ESSER and SAVE monthly status report, said a piece of missing documentation had delayed release of retainage on an ESSER contract but that legal and district staff found a workaround: because the missing item related to a contract more than two years old, the retainage can be released after a waiver. Will said that once the retainage pay application is processed, the ESSER project will be complete.

On SAVE, Will said the district is down to a small number of bid packages. The masonry package (bid package #3) is complete with paperwork turned over and the recommendation is to release its retainage. He said three bid packages remain active, including the general package (punch list work), a mechanical unit installation in the CAT engineering room scheduled for next week, and an electrical package whose full retainage will remain until an LED lighting replacement is finished later in the summer.

Will also described a building pressurization problem that has left some exterior doors ajar when the HVAC system enters economizer mode. He said staff have added openings above ceilings and are working to allow corridor air to return to the ceiling plenum; additional modifications and testing are pending to fully resolve the issue.

The board moved to approve the ESSER and SAVE monthly status report and voted to adopt the recommendation to release retainage on completed packages where appropriate.