Board recommends $420,000 contract to replace South Mountain Elementary’s exterior wall system

Ryan Hermansky, the district’s director of buildings and grounds, told the board that the exterior insulated finish system (EIFS/EFIS) on South Mountain (and similar details at East Horseman) was not constructed with details consistent with current best practices and is leaking. He described the planned repair: remove the existing EIFS, reinsulate, install weather guard and finish with 20-gauge steel panels — a method the district used successfully at Horseman last fall.

"We'd like to go that route again," Hermansky said, describing the design and noting that Jackson Associates, which completed related work at Horseman, was the low bidder for South Mountain. He told the board the project cost is $420,000 and the contractor would begin in November if awarded the work.

After questions about whether Jackson could offer a discount and about prior work at Horseman, a motion was made to recommend to the full board acceptance of the bid and contracting with Jackson Associates. The motion carried after an opposed vote was recorded; the transcript did not record a full roll-call tally.

The recommendation directs administration to proceed with contracting and project planning; the motion did not appropriate funds at this meeting, and the board will consider final contracting steps through the normal procurement process.