New School Will Have Cardinal Furniture

BOARD’S MARCH AGENDA INCLUDES GROUNDS, SODERQUIST UPDATE, MORE

FARMINGTON — The Farmington School Board met at the Performing Arts Center on March 27, with board president Jeff Oxford welcoming visitors and guests to the facility.

“It’s always good to get out of the board room and onto one of our campuses,” Oxford said. “It’s good to be here at the PAC.”

Lawn Maintenance

Farmington superintendent of schools Bryan Law recommended a lawn maintenance bid be approved specific to the new high school, explaining the additional duties has overwhelmed the maintenance staff once Cardinal Arena and the Performing Arts Center were added with on-going construction of a new high school.

“Truthfully, we brought in 45 acres and we didn’t bring in any more staff. That’s going to stretch you,” Law said.

Law said one company presented a bid of $18,000 to do lawn maintenance at the site last year, which he considered a little bit high.

The low bid this year was from Smiley Services in the amount of $ 6,914.25 with two other bids close to that figure, according to Law.

“It’s cheaper than we can buy mowers and bring people in and do it,” Law said. “By taking this area off the books I feel like they (district maintenance staff) can keep up with it.”

The board approved Law’s recommendation to accept the low bid from Smiley Services.

Soderquist Update

Budd Smith, assistant principal at Randall G. Lynch Middle School, presented a Soderquist update regarding student ambitions or career interests. Smith described survey data gleaned from 1,655 students.

“From K through 12 this is a huge picture of what this looks like,” Smith said, explaining the survey asked, “What they want to be when they grow up?”

Smith said responses from first- and second- graders tend to skew the numbers because students at those ages are fascinated with professional athletes.

“The No. 1 thing is athletes,” Smith said. “That number was a little bit high. Those numbers are a little bit skewed. The older you get, it might be hard to figure out what you want to be.”

Smith said the middle school is looking to implement a new class next year based on the survey. A high number of students expressed some type of interest in culinary arts or cooking.

According to Smith, district-wide 93 percent of students reported they have internet access at home.

“They’re on internet, they’re on technology, they have that,” Smith said. “The goal for the 2017-2018 school year is to offer them something else.”

High School Furniture

High school Principal Jon Purifoy reviewed a bid for furniture at the new high school. Law asked Purifoy to confirm that the bid will take care of all the furnishings needed for the cafeteria, library, all classrooms, the counselor’s offices and the main office.

Purifoy said those were all included and some furniture will have Cardinal heads. The cost of the Cardinal logos is about an additional $4,000.

Board member Amy Hill asked how much was originally set in the budget for furniture. Law said the original amount was $450,000.

“That bid was based on what other school districts had bought earlier, so it was dated,” Law said. “It was the best information we had 2.5 years ago when we put this bid together.”

As the board debated the total, board president Jeff Oxford came up with a number.

“It’s $593,000, that’s math in the 80s, now, I know Common Core has changed some things,” Oxford said, adding, “I like the Cardinal tables. You could probably get some tables with tigers on them for free.”

Law said the furnishings in the package Purifoy had obtained were better than what he thought the district was going to have to pay.

“I told Jon right from the beginning I didn’t want to put in a nice, new building and put in furniture that wouldn’t hold up.”

Purifoy explained the Cardinal logos, while not necessary, give the new high school some flash.

“I do want people to walk in this building and it have some pop,” Purifoy said.

Law said if the board was uncomfortable with the bid number another month would be needed to refine the bid process.

“I think we’ve been notorious for buying really cheap desks that we had to replace,” Law said.

Purifoy said the bid is pretty expensive, but includes fireproof cabinets and a warranty on the furnishings.

Law said the furnishings have a good look two to three years down the road and will hold up better than what is bought at outlet stores. He recommended the board approve the bid and they voted to do so.