St. John the Baptist Parish School Board awards multiple repair contracts and approves full HVAC replacement at Emily C. Watkins

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board voted July 14 to award multiple repair and restoration contracts, authorize advertising for additional Hurricane Ida recovery work and to proceed with a full HVAC replacement at Emily C. Watkins Elementary.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Juanita Hill told the board the district will hold a "Journey to Excellence" conference July 25–28; 142 employees have signed up to attend sessions on curriculum, technology and special education. Dr. Hill also introduced Ms. Rayven Calloway as the new West St. John High principal.

On facilities work, the board awarded a service maintenance agreement for school lift stations and backflow preventers to Gallo Mechanical Services on a motion by Chair Wallace and second by DeFrancesch. It approved advertising for Emergency Disaster Restoration and Maintenance Packages and authorized readvertising for West St. John High roofing after rejecting existing bids. The board awarded the GMMS roofing contract to DL Daigle and later awarded the Emily C. Watkins interior/exterior/roofing contract to Taylor Enterprises, pending architect review.

A contested vote on Emily C. Watkins' HVAC concluded with the board selecting Option 4, a full replacement. A substitute motion to select Option 2 (a partial replacement with new chillers/boilers), moved by Jones and seconded by Burl and supported in prior staff recommendation by Maintenance Coordinator Ricky Songy, failed 2–7. The original motion for full replacement then passed 7–2. The board subsequently approved design and advertising for the HVAC replacement, with two members recording abstentions on that procedural motion.

On capital project oversight, the board awarded management of non-Hurricane Ida capital projects to Volkert, Inc., after a substitute to award those projects to All South failed. For Hurricane Ida–related projects, the board awarded project management to All South Engineers. During the procurement actions the board also voted to request that legal counsel review all construction contracts.

Other business included approvals to advertise for roofing and minor interior repairs at several sites affected by Hurricane Ida, and a motion to table one package for fencing and miscellaneous repairs. The board set a retreat for Aug. 15–16 and recognized Ulysses Jarrow as the district's Transportation Coordinator.

Votes at a glance: Gallo Mechanical service agreement (approved; 9 yeas, 2 absent); authorize advertising for Emergency Disaster Restoration and Maintenance Packages (approved; 9 yeas, 2 absent); reject WSJH roofing bids (approved; 8 yeas, 1 abstention, 2 absent) and authorize readvertising (approved; 9 yeas); DL Daigle—GMMS roofing (approved; 9 yeas); Emily C. Watkins HVAC Option 4 (approved; 7 yeas, 2 nays); design/advertise HVAC replacement (approved; 7 yeas, 2 abstentions, 2 absent); Taylor Enterprises—Watkins repairs (approved; 9 yeas); Volkert—non-Ida project management (approved; 7 yeas); All South—Ida project management (approved; 7 yeas); legal review of all construction contracts (approved; 9 yeas).

The meeting adjourned at 8:37 p.m.