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District U-46 approves various expense proposals

By Seth Hancock
  The Board of Education in School District U-46 unanimously approved $362,050 in expenditure proposals at its meeting on Monday, May 1.
  Included was $227,050 with Warehouse Direct, to be paid for through operations and maintenance funds, for the purchase of feminine hygiene products and vending machines. The cost is for five years.
  The proposal states that a 2017 state law, House Bill 3215, requires the products to be available “at no cost to students” in all government school bathrooms. It’s for all secondary schools.
  “This contract will ensure School District U-46’s compliance with the law that went into effect in 2018 by providing feminine hygiene products at no cost to students in the bathrooms of school buildings,” the proposal states.
  The proposal adds: “The bid consisted of the two different feminine hygiene consumable products and the vending machines that distribute them at no charge. The vending machines are a one-time purchase, with the exception of replacing broken or damaged machines on an as needed basis, but the feminine hygiene consumable products will be an annual expense moving forward.”
  Office Depot did have the lowest bid, $154,753, but it’s bid “was incomplete,” the proposal states. Warehouse Direct was the lowest of three remaining bids, $252,300 being the highest.
  Additionally, a $135,000 proposal (operations and maintenance funds) with DLA Architects was approved for architectural services for planned capital improvements.
  “School District U-46 is seeking assistance in the conceptual capital improvement planning process for facilities designated through the facilities master plan,” the proposal states. “This would include work to address our oldest elementary schools, support the migration of 6th grade into our middle schools, and identify sites to host additional Pre-K programming. The conceptual capital improvement plan will include program and site studies for each of the impacted schools, feasibility studies, impact analyses, conceptual designs, and tentative schedules for each identified project.”
  Also approved was $5.9 million in itemized bills.