At Monday’s School Board meeting, a contract with an electrical contractor that had just gone to a non-union shop was approved after some lively discussion.
Trustee Martha Toth said several months ago the board agreed that it would not insist on union contractors for work on the Belleville High School construction, but would require “prevailing wages” be paid to contractors, so no workers get mistreated.
Taking that position was for the highest good of the taxpayers, Toth said, and the board realized the job site could be the site of picketing.
Metro Electric Engineering Technologies of Romeo bid $4,990,000 for the architectural, mechanical electrical work on the new high school.
The next lowest bid was from Gillis Electric, Inc., a union shop in Livonia, at $5,678,000, which is $680,000 more than Metro’s bid.
The estimated cost for the work, before bidding, was $5,397,580, so Metro came in $407,580 less than the estimate and Gillis came in $280,420 more.
There were seven bids going as high as $8,200,000.
Sid Dotinga, project manager for Granger Construction which is overseeing the high school project, told the board when the bid came in so low, he went over the scope of the work with Metro and was satisfied Metro knew what the job was and could do it.
To make sure, since Metro was going with a “new open shop business model,” Metro was asked for a second performance bond to make sure the work was completed and on Monday afternoon, Metro presented a letter from a bonding agency saying the bond would be issued.
Dotinga said Granger does that (requires additional bonding) selectively on specific contractors. He said the management team will keep close track of where Metro is and make sure they have certified payrolls.
Dotinga said Joe Brewer, owner of Metro, is a competent manager and, “It’s a calculated business decision to stay competitive.”
Gary Helmer, business representative from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, was present to give board members a warning that the union has grievances against Metro, “which we are going to pursue.”
Helmer said Brewer thinks the 20 men needed for the job will stay with him, but Helmer thinks the men will stay with the union.
He said Brewer has been a good contractor over the years, but “We are going to pursue our interests.” He told the board, “There’s a lot to think about.”
The board voted unanimously to approve the contract with Metro.
In other contracts recommended to the board by Plante Moran CRESA at Monday’s meeting, the board approved:
* E&D Specialty Stands in the amount of $468,950 for grandstands and bleachers, lowest of four bidders;
* ThyssenKrupp Co. in the amount of $132,400, for two elevators, lowest of three bidders;
* Delta Temp. Inc., $4,614,800, for plumbing, lowest of five bidders;
* Great Lakes Mechanical, $3,523,000 for sheet metal, lowest of eight complete bids;
* Building Automated Systems and Services, $512,112, for temperature controls, lowest of three bidders.
In other business Monday, the board:
* Approved use, at established rates, of a school bus for Huron Valley Ambulance’s Camp 911 on July 8 and 9 to take campers from Van Buren Park to St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Room and Van Buren Township Fire Hall #1;
* Discussed student achievement;
* Approved requested retirements of teachers Henrietta Stover, BHS, after 14 years; Constance Riggs, Savage/ Haggerty/ Rawsonville, 31 years; Evelyn Larabell, Rawsonville, 41.5 years; Ethel Anderson, Edgemont, 32 years; and Linda Lewis, Edgemont, 39 years. The termination of Kaleena Jedinak, Tyler, after 5 years was approved for relocation; and
* Approved the following requested terminations of support staff: Susan Johnston, paraprofessional/NMS, retirement; Arlene Morin, food service /Savage, 38.5 years, retirement; Diana Campbell, secretary/Haggerty, 28 years, retirement; Kerry Zielinski, secretary / SMS, 9.5 years, employer termination; and Vanessa Janke, secretary/ administration, .5 years, other employment.