Using the option they have to select the second-highest bidder, rather than the lowest bidder, on Monday the Van Buren Public School Board of Education selected Davenport Brothers of Belleville for one of the contracts for construction of the new high school.
Davenport’s bid of $896,000 for building foundations was $3,000 higher than low bidder Authority Group Concrete of Walled Lake at $893,000.
This bidding was one of 39 contracts that will be bid out for high school construction work over the next few months.
There were seven bidders for the foundation work, all from Michigan and all bidding less than the estimate of $1,254,520.
Before the school board took action on the contract, it went into a 17-minute closed door session to discuss a written attorney’s opinion on the matter, which obviously told them they could accept the second-lowest bidder, if desired.
Sidney Dotinger of Granger Construction told the board he and Plante Moran CRESA recommended Authority Group, solely on cost, and both Authority and Davenport are very competent and are capable of doing the work.
He said these bids that were lower than estimated continue in a very favorable trend for BHS construction work.
The Davenport Brothers were present in the audience with their supporters.
Scott Jones, president of L&W Engineering, said he just did a building with Davenports in Chelsea and was impressed with their work. Jones said he serves on the Van Buren Education Foundation and the Davenports have been generous with donations to the local foundation. He said he was present at that night’s meeting in support of the Davenports.
Trustee Bob Binert said when the board started the whole process to build the school, it hired a construction management firm, so the board could vote on all the bids. He said local companies are free to bid on any part.
“Granger structured the bids so local firms can bid,” agreed President David Peer. “This one is so close, I move we award the bid to the second-low bidder – Davenport – using the discretion given us by state law.”
Trustee Martha Toth asked if teacher Matt Davenport lives in the contractors’ households, since that would make a difference under board policy, and she was told Matt has his own house.
Board policy says that local vendors may be given preference if their bid is within 5% of the low bid, provided all other matters are equal. Toth said Davenport’s bid was 3/10% higher.
The board unanimously passed the motion to give the contract to Davenport.
“We have every confidence they can do the job,” Dotinger said. “That was never the issue.”
The board then unanimously approved the low bid of Kerkstra Precast of Grandville at $553,600 for precast concrete planks and, on the third project of the evening, approved Timber Systems of Lapeer, lowest of eight bids, at $452,668, for structural wood framing for the pool area.
Davenport Brothers was high bidder on the wood framing at $748,000.
Peer estimated that the three bids awarded that evening were 20% below estimate and for the whole project so far the costs are 12% below estimate.
“It’s a great time to be a buyer,” Dotinger said, adding bid packet four is going out on the street this week.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the board:
* Heard a presentation from Ginny Kowalski, principal of William D. Ford Technical Center, where BHS students in career training will be going in the fall. She said all current 10th graders visited the center to look at the programs available. She said her center added a whole new section of health career training because so many BHS students were interested;
* Discussed briefly the proposed Wayne County Enhanced Millage proposal, with no board members speaking in support. “It’s not a systemic solution and the problem is systemic,” said Trustee Toth, referring to the financial problems of districts throughout the state. She said if the county passes an enhancement millage, it will take the pressure off state legislators, who have to solve the problem at the state level;
* Heard an update on the BHS 9th Grade Literacy pilot program, as presented by teachers Laurie Lintner and Connie Testorelli and Assistant Principal Schultz. The program has been in place since Jan. 22 and three students and their parents were present to attest to its effectiveness. Toth said the program, devised by the teachers, is not cost-free, since there are two teachers devoted to 17 students. The group will be tested again and the results reported to the board;
* Discussed Trustee Kevin English’s goal to educate the community on the problems with educational financing in the state, so the public will be better able to support the board as it lobbies Lansing for reform. Curriculum Director Peggy Voigt said the focus group results should be delivered soon from the Genesee County ISD and the results can be discussed in the May 17 study session. This should help the board decide what it wants to do. Letter writing campaigns, blogging, community meetings, and other methods were discussed;
* Unanimously passed a resolution that suspended a student from classes until April 30, provided that she attends an IEP meeting on April 29. This followed an executive session held before the regular meeting began. The beginning of the regular meeting was delayed about a half hour while the board considered this case; and
* Approved the retirement of Dolores Kandler, after 27 years of service in food service as cook/manager at BHS. Also approved the requested termination of Salena Stock, an itinerant occupational therapist, after two years of service for personal reasons.