Farmington School Board Approves New Kitchen Equipment

FARMINGTON — Farmington School Board accepted a low bid of $459,030 from Markham Restaurant Supply for new kitchen equipment for the new high school at its Sept. 26 meeting.

This was the second try for the district to purchase kitchen equipment. The f irst time, the school only received one bid for $ 461,797 from Supreme and the school’s architect, Hight Jackson Associates, recommended rebidding the project. The second time, the district received five bids.

The low bid accepted by the school board was higher than Hight Jackson’s estimate by $10,000.

Superintendent Bryan Law said the new kitchen will have “first class equipment” and he recommended against reducing the cost, noting quality kitchen equipment would last a long time.

As required by state law, Farmington board members voted on officers for the coming year. This always takes place during the first meeting after the annual school election. The board re-elected all officers to their same positions: Jeff Oxford, president; Travis Warren, vice president; Amy Hill, secretary.

In other business, Law gave an update on the possibility of purchasing five acres adjacent to the new high school campus to be used for additional parking at the football stadium. Law brought up the idea at the board’s July meeting.

An appraisal of the property, owned by former Washington County Circuit Judge Michael Mashburn, gave the land an appraised value of $15,000/acre.

Law said he talked to Mashburn about the property and Mashburn indicated he is not interested in selling the property at that price.

“I’ve talked twice to him but we’re not in a place where we can bargain,” Law told board members.

On another property matter, Law said a real estate agent from Oklahoma City had called him representing a group of people interested in the undeveloped property next to Williams Elementary. Law did not know anything about the agent or the group of people.

The man told Law that he wanted to receive a commission if his clients purchase the property.

Board member Doug Williams responded, “Then the people he is representing need to pay him.”

Law said he plans to have the property reappraised and if a sale goes through, then the agent can get a buyer’s commission, not a seller’s commission.

The board changed the date for its October meeting because of a conflict with training. The board next will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25.