NO ACTION TAKEN BY BURTON SCHOOL BOARD ON CONSTRUCTION MANAGER-AGENT CONTRACT

  

The Burton School Board opted to take no formal action on Monday regarding a contract for a new construction manager-agent for the school bond project.

The board instead designated a committee, made up of Board President Jeff Harmel and trustees Demetrius Colvin, Sr. and Mike Clyde, to meet with Weaver & Jacobs Constructors out of Cuero to work through the remaining details of note with the contract.  The firm is being chosen to replace DSA, Inc.

One major piece of discussion at the meeting was whether the district should provide any form of incentive to the firm based on if it completes the project within 24 months. 

Interim Superintendent Rob Barnwell said he would not want the district to pay more to the firm if it finishes early.  Rather, he would prefer an incentive to take the shape of a reduced amount paid to the company if it takes longer than the established timeline, saying the district needs to save money if it can. 

The board agreed with Barnwell in not wanting to pay extra for early completion.  Clyde said with the existing contract language, should the firm finish six months early, it could receive “almost $200,000”.

Harmel stated he was of the mindset that if the project did not wrap up within 24 months, the contract would come back to the board to renegotiate the remaining work needed from the company.   

The committee will sit down with Weaver & Jacobs President Brant Jacobs to clarify language and address the type of incentive that the contract will contain.  The discussion will also cover the district’s percentage paid, if any, for builder’s risk insurance.  In addition, it will go over how any increases in the job superintendent’s salary and benefits over the next two years will be handled.