News

District 300 hires mower, seeks architects

Posted February 27, 2017 4:00 am

By Chanda Green

Pyron Mowing gets district contract The Du Quoin School Board voted to award a three-year contract to Pyron Mowing, a Du Quoin business. District Business Manager Cory Robbins said the district had only received one bid, from Pyron. Members discussed why there weren't more, and Robbins said it probably had something to do with the restrictions - mowing can't take place during school hours - and the size and scope of the job. Robbins also told the board that Pyron's bid, which was $50 more per year for each of the two school properties, the high school and the elementary school, was reasonable considering the "incredible amount of trimming." "Pyron did a great job last year," Robbins said. "There's no problem with their work." School board sets special meeting on architects submissions The Du Quoin School Board approved scheduling a special board meeting for at 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 13 to review submissions from architects vying for a contract with the district. Several have submitted the required qualification documents. Superintendent Gary Kelly insisted on the special meeting, citing the time it would take to review the submissions and select architects to interview and how difficult it would be to make real progress during the regular meeting. "You need to get these submissions in your hands and look them over and rank them," Kelly said. "We've had eight inquiries already, but we'll know by March 10 what's been submitted. Then, we can set up interviews." The board will have a 17-day window, April 3 to 20, to choose an architect and get a contract signed for the 2018-19 school year. School board to seek bids for energy-efficiency work this summer The Du Quoin School Board discussed energy-efficiency grant work that could be completed this summer. After considering the number of projects, which include replacing a boiler and work on the roof of the elementary school, the board approved the solicitation of bids for the work as outlined by the district architect, Paul Lunsford. The deadline for this grant work to be completed is the summer of 2018. Energy-efficiency projects already completed include replacement of exterior lighting and repairs to heating and air-conditioning systems. "Lunsford is still responsible for this grant," Kelly told the board. "He will show the energy savings for each project as required. District to submit bond application to fund work at elementary school Superintendent Kelly recommended that the board approve the submission of an application for a Qualified Zone Academy Bond from the state board of education. He said that the bond, which has an interest rate of .5 percent, could fund upcoming work on the elementary school. "The interest rate is competitive now, but if we wait, it will go up," he said. "We would use the county sales tax to fund the QZAB's if our application was approved," Kelly told the board. "The QZAB option is not guaranteed, and if it was approved would allow us to accelerate the roof replacement and other HVAC work beyond the energy efficiency grant for the K-8 school." Kelly also told the board that the deadline to submit the bond application is Feb. 28 and asked the board to vote. The board approved the submission of the bond application.

Article Categories
Education News