Bid letting can now begin to address several immediate infrastructure needs for USD 253 Emporia following the USD 253 Board of Education’s regular meeting Wednesday night.
As part of the evening’s agenda, board members granted authority for District Director of Maintenance Cory Nicolet to begin placing bids for major district projects according to District Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations Pam Stranathan. Stranathan adds the board’s action also will allow the district to utilize purchasing cooperatives, such as TIPS and Buyboard, to aid in obtaining project bids.
According to Stranathan, all projects totaling more than $20,000 will need to come back before the board for approval at a later date. Wednesday’s action followed the second of two presentations on major infrastructure needs by Nicolet, the first of which was presented last month.
The list of needs covered all district buildings with said needs totaling more than $5 million. Stranathan stated during Wednesday’s meeting that there has been a lot of information presented to district leadership in a very short time frame, however, that was necessary to get the bid-letting process moving as soon as possible as the district is hoping to complete many of the major projects during the summer season.
Stranathan says bids for the various projects will be brought back before the board of education for approval over the next three months.
In other business Wednesday, the board also began the disposal process for the Kansas Avenue School building. Board members approved a motion to give the Kansas Legislature first right of refusal on the property per Senate Bill 113.
If the Legislature chooses to pass on the property or takes no action on the matter before the end of the current legislative session, the district will then be free to sell the property itself. Superintendent Dr. Allison Anderson Harder says there has been some interest expressed in the property in recent months, however, she could not divulge any specifics.
She adds that while the district can take “contingency bids” on the property in the meantime, they will not be seeking out a realtor or moving on any possible agreements until after the Legislature has made its decision on the building.
The building at 315 South Market was previously leased to Crosswinds Counseling and Wellness which moved out of the facility in late December and was also being utilized by the Kansas Special Education Cooperative which will be moving to a new location at the end of the current academic year. With no occupants and rising costs of maintenance and operation, USD 253 Superintendent Dr. Allison Anderson-Harder stated there was no further use for the facility by the district.
In separate business Wednesday evening, board members:
*Discussed the latest budget update
*Approved the district’s administrator’s re-employment
*Reviewed the district’s quarterly strategic plan update
*Received the latest construction update from McCownGordon Construction
*Casted votes for the KSHSAA Board of Directors
*Approved a pair of bids for internet services and network equipment, licensing and UPSs.
The USD 253 Board of Education will next convene on Wednesday, April 10 at 6 pm inside of the Mary Herbert Education Center.
