VB School Board approves demolition plan for ECDC building

At Monday’s regular meeting, the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education approved the plan for the demolition of the Early Childhood Development Building (ECDC) and awarded the demolition contract to S.A. Torello, Inc. of Port Huron, lowest of seven bidders.
The cost is not to exceed $75,918 from sinking funds. That includes up to $10,000 for asbestos abatement and a construction contingency of $7,000.
The vacant ECDC building is next door to Edgemont Elementary School. Demolishing the building will allow renovation of the parking lot at Edgemont.
The three-year plan for the project was set at $500,000 from the sinking funds and with the approved demolition cost, there will be $424,082 left for the parking lot upgrades.
The recommendation for the demolition was brought by James Williams, director of plant operations, and Rob Kakoczki of Plante Moran CRESA, who works with the district’s sinking fund.
In other business at the Sept. 25 meeting, the board:
• Heard Shareen Barker, director of finance, explain the new REI bus camera systems that a committee has recommended buying. She said the cameras on the buses are outdated and replacement parts are scarce. Some of the buses do not have operating cameras and the district’s GPS does not work currently on any of the buses. Barker will bring the proposal back to the board for action;
• Heard an informal update on the Superintendent Evaluation by School Supt. Peter Kudlak; and
• Approved the hiring of Janet Parris for food service at McBride as of Sept. 5 and Melissa Rakovitis as a teacher at Savage Elementary, as of Sept. 18.