Du Quoin School Board hires new architect
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">White and Borgognoni Architects of Carbondale was officially employed last Thursday by the Du Quoin Board of Education as the district architectural service provider.<br /> Several board members spoke positively about the firm, including Dennis Cole, who said that Gail White, partner and principal of the firm, had looked over the facilities and that his impressions were of a very professional firm with a good reputation that is willing to work with the district.<br /> District Business Manager Cory Robbins passed out copies of an agreement that had been worked out with White and Borgognoni.<br /> "We don't need a contract if we have this fee agreement," he told the board.<br /> "If we have a large, high-value project, of course we would prepare a contract for that work as required," said Superintendent Gary Kelly.<br /> "It's good that they're flexible and willing to work with us on grant writing and cost structure," Robbins said.<br /> Board meetings were held March 13 and March 21 to review submissions from architects vying for an exclusive contract with the district. A third special board meeting April 6 was held to interview the final three candidates. What followed was a series of negotiations with White and Borgognoni that resulted in the fee agreement before the board.<br /> "The process of selecting an architectural firm for the district is clearly delineated in the Illinois School Code," Kelly said. "We have followed that process."<br /> The board had a 17-day window, April 3 through April 20, to choose an architect and get a contract signed for the 2018-19 school year.<br /> The hiring of White and Borgognoni marked the end of the district's longtime, formal business relationship with Lunsford Architects of Carterville, which began in 1997 and included the construction of the 180,000-square-foot Du Quoin High School, a $20 million project. Construction began in 2010 and was finished in fall 2012. </span></span>