By Charlotte Smith
Board member Dennis Edwards questioned last month’s meeting and the proper time frame for the bids about Tar Heel Construction. There were eight votes in favor of and one vote against approving the minutes. Edwards voted against accepting the minutes from last month’s meeting.
During the citizen’s participation part of the meeting, Mr. Donnell Goins, Bladen County Schools’ counselor at East Bladen High School, addressed the board members pleading for assistance and presenting academic data as he does each month.
Topics Mr. Goins covered were as follows:
- Bus drivers’ low pay, and it is Bus Driver Appreciation Week
- Cafeteria workers providing meals for students
- Parents concerns
- Staffing concerns
- Teacher’s concerns
According to Mr. Goins, only two Board of Education members have asked for information about concerns he and his colleagues have presented over the years. “We ask that you visit all the schools, not just your constituencies’ schools,” Mr. Goins stated.
He asked the board members, “What do you need to be mission-focused and mission-ready?”
The Board members moved on to the next item on the agenda, which was the Tar Heel School construction update, after Mr. Goins’ comments and questions.
Dr. Atkinson gave an overview of the current timeframe given to him by Blair Bordeaux of Bordeaux Construction. The construction contractors will be soliciting subcontractors’ bids with the goal of the first bid opening March 15, 2022, through April 1, 2022. If needed, the second bid process will begin on March 24, 2022. The goal is for the Board to have the bids with the guaranteed maximum price to consider by April 8, 2022.
According to Dr. Atkinson, the request for 40 million dollars to the Needs-based Public School Capital Fund from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) was previously submitted. The application period with NCDPI closes on March 15, 2022. “I am hoping we will get some information on that,” Dr. Atkinson said.
Attorney Rod Malone updated the Board on the Tar Heel school’s construction project Construction Management at-risk model.
Construction Management at-risk (CMAR) is one of the options public owners use for commitments by construction managers to deliver projects within a guaranteed maximum price. Mr. Malone explained that the CM at-risk option allows for an easier process to negotiate key elements of construction projects.
“It will include their bonds and insurance,” Mr. Malone said.
There is a 1% contingency with a negotiation fee that is in the CM agreement, Mr. Malone noted. If the contingency is not used, the funds will go back to the public owner, and if it is used, “the contractor is on the hook” for the guaranteed maximum price.
“The North Carolina model that people have gravitated to is really the only model we see used,” Mr. Malone said, “It is the model predominately used by public bodies.”
“The guaranteed maximum price is set after the construction manager receives the bids,” Mr. Malone reiterated, “The bid process will go forward with the CM, and the bid will be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. There are portions that will be negotiated between you and the CM.”
According to Malone, there are other options besides the CMAR: Single Prime, Multiple Prime, and Design-Build.
Mr. Edwards asked, “Who does the vetting process for the bids to make sure the contractors are properly insured and bonded?”
Mr. Malone explained, “The CM pre-qualified bidders. Bordeaux is in the pre-qualification stage of the bidding. The CM should have a score for each contractor. If a contractor is deemed not responsible, there is another process the CM will go through for the bid.”
Board member Edwards interjected to Mr. Malone’s statement, “First of all. You said ‘should have.’ I don’t want to hear anyone say, ‘should have’; I want to know that I am voting specifically on an item that everything has been covered. I do not want to put me or this Board at risk.”
He added, “You make me feel very uncomfortable and that I shouldn’t be voting on anything. We need to know it is a guaranteed bid process. I want everything by the book.”
Mr. Malone responded that he did not recall the “should have” statement. Malone continued saying, “I do know that the statute requires the CM to prequalify bidders. I do know that Bordeaux is pre-qualifying bidders. I do know that your contract is with Bordeaux. I do know that Bordeaux will provide a performance and payment bond to guarantee their performance to you. I do know that Bordeaux will be on the hook for any problems with any subcontractors… This model best protects you, better than single prime.”
Bladen County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Jason Atkinson, recounted that Bordeaux Construction Company does have the School’s policy on pre-qualifications needed for the construction project.
Board member Edwards reported, “Every board member on this board has received a letter from an attorney, more or less, saying that we are going to get this contract or we are going to push legal ramifications against the board.”
Mr. Malone asked, “Are we talking about the septic system?”
Board member Edwards answered, “Yes.”
“That’s a great point,” Mr. Malone said, “The septic system bidding and contracting is not part of the Bordeaux CM at-risk contract. The CM at-risk project contract is the construction of the new school. The septic system, while it is to be integrated into the new school, it is a separate stand-alone contract that is going to be between the owner (Bladen County Board of Education) and the selected vendor to construct that system outside of and before the construction of the school begins.”
After the discussion, the Board unanimously approved the contract with Bordeaux Construction Company, Inc., which has offices across southeastern North Carolina for supervision and management services for the Tar Heel school’s septic field construction project.
According to Dr. Atkinson, the bids for the septic field construction project received on February 11, 2022, were reviewed by the engineer and architect to ensure that all requirements for the bids were met. The Tara Group of Lumberton, Inc., submitted a base bid of $422,900.00. Quality Septic Services, Inc. submitted a base bid of $337,632.45.
“The engineer and architect for the project agree that the lowest base bid, submitted by Quality Septic Services, meets the requirements for the project,” Dr. Atkinson stated. They recommended that the contract be awarded to Quality Septic Services, Inc., based on the lowest base bid and meeting the required specifications for the project.
Board member Edwards spoke up and asked if the bidders had the proper license and bond for the project with no liability to the Board.
Mr. Malone responded that the engineer and the architect found the “licensure did have the proper licenses to perform the project, however, out of an overabundance of caution… we elected to contract with Bordeaux to superintend the project.”
He added, “We believe this option removes any risk to the Board in proceeding.”
Quality Septic Services’ bid was approved for the septic field construction project by the Board in a seven to two vote, with Board members Edwards and Mr. Tim Benton voting against the motion.
The Board also approved the Designation of Change Agent for Tar Heel School Project recommended by Dr. Atkinson in an eight to one vote, with Mr. Edwards voting against the motion.
The Board heard from Dr. Atkinson about the Community Use of Facilities policy. According to the policy, no community group may use any Bladen County Schools facility while students are in class. View the updated policy here:
https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/bcsnc/Board.nsf/files/CBAN3M5DFAB3/$file/Policy-5030.pdf
Board member Edwards asked if the policy restricts churches from using the schools’ facilities. Dr. Atkinson noted the policy does restrict churches from using the facility. Mr. Edwards requested the policy to be an action item on the next month’s agenda to update the policy for community use.
Dr. Hinson with Bladen County Schools presented the Summer Program plan. June 13 through July 1 are the effective dates for the Summer Program, with a total of 65 hours. Testing will be done at the end of the program. The program will be for K through 12th grade.
The Board will vote on the Summer Program at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.
The Board approved option B for the monthly vote on Face Coverings with a five to four vote. Option B makes Face Coverings optional for Bladen County Schools’ students and staff.
Board members Singletary, Rhoda, Rozier, and McKoy voted against the Face Coverings being optional.
According to Dr. Atkinson, a COVID-19 bonus to employees was distributed in the fall for increased work duties. He recommended to the Board another COVID-19 bonus be given in the spring, due to all Bladen County Schools staff employed by February 1, 2022, in the amount of $1,000. Dr. Atkinson stated that the “SR2 funding will be used for that,” and he recommended it be paid in April 2022.
The motion passed unanimously.
Other items covered:
Consent agenda items were approved unanimously, including fundraisers, a contract for Project Management Services for the Tar Heel School Project, Clarkton School of Discovery roofing project, and a contract for Educational Interpretation Services.
The 2022-2023 School Calendar for Bladen Early College presented by Mrs. White-Smith was approved unanimously.
The Board did not approve covering the Licensure Costs for Maintenance Employees.
In an eight to one vote, the Board approved allowing jeans to be worn with the student uniforms. No jeans with holes will be allowed.
The Board members tabled the changes to the staff dress code presented by Dr. Beatty.
The Board discussed tabling the motion to approve the Auditing Contract with Anderson, Smith & Hike, PLLC, presented by Mrs. Harrison. The compliance audit has already started, Mrs. Harrison reported. The audit report is due by October 2022. Board members discussed requesting a bid process for the audit services in the summer for the Fiscal Year 2023.
The Board went into a closed session to discuss Personnel Action Items. Once the Board came out of the closed session, they approved personnel action items. However, no information or details on the action items were distributed to the public. Both Action Item A and Action Item B were approved.
Board member Corey Singletary bragged about the Bladen County Schools that competed in the Beta Club State Convention and asked the Board to consider paying for the transportation costs for the schools to attend the national convention. The Board will vote on the request next month.
Board member Alan West congratulated Coach Patty Evers on being selected to coach the McDonald’s All American Game that will be broadcast on ESPN.
Dr. Atkinson announced that last week was National Guidance Counselors Week and this week is School Bus Drivers week. He expressed appreciation for both. He also reported the parent advisory committee met.
All Board members attended the meeting either virtually or in person.
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