Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1954 [PAGE 527]

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524

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[January 21

mann, Legal Counsel, and James H. Wheat, Champaign, who is attorney for Judge Armstrong's estate, to recommend an appropriate fee. They recommend that in view of the services rendered by Judge Armstrong and the substantial results accomplished, a fee of $14,200, including the partial payments made to date, would be reasonable. This figure is based upon the records kept by Judge Armstrong and is acceptable to the estate. There is also due $58.28 as reimbursement for payments made by Judge Armstrong for expenses incurred since June, 1951. The President recommended that the Board approve a total fee of $14,200 and authorize the payment of the balance of $7,400 and also $58.28 reimbursement for expenses. Funds are available in the Lincoln Avenue Residence and utilities distribution system construction accounts. O n m o t i o n of M r . J o h n s t o n , t h e s e p a y m e n t s w e r e a u t h o r i z e d . REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

Mr. Megran, for the Committee on Buildings and Grounds, presented the following report:

Recently, a contractor who had been awarded the contract for certain work for the University upon submitting the lowest bid for it, refused to sign the contract when it was submitted to him or to proceed with the work, thereby putting the University to the expense of advertising for and taking new bids for the work and delaying its performance. When this was reported to the President of the University he instructed the Director of the Physical Plant Department to forfeit the deposit made with the contractor's bid for that work and stated that, in view of this action upon the part of the contractor, he would not approve the awarding of any additional University contracts to the contractor and that the latter should not be furnished with specifications, drawings, or other documents which would enable him to submit bids for other work. The President's legal right, and that of the Director of the Physical Plant Department, to take this action was confirmed in an opinion given the President by the Legal Counsel. Subsequently, this contractor requested specifications and drawings pertaining to other work to be done for the University in order to submit bids for that work, and also tendered the deposits which the Physical Plant Department required for the same. Pursuant to the President's instructions, the Physical Plant Department returned the checks sent it to cover those deposits and did not furnish the requested specifications and drawings to the contractor, with the result that the latter did not submit any bids for the work upon those projects. In view of these developments, President Stoddard requested the Buildings and Grounds Committee to review his action and to consider the problems with respect to University contract procedures presented by this situation. This Committee, after reviewing the above-mentioned action taken by the President and the Director of the Physical Plant Department and the Legal Counsel's opinion, has concluded that said action was proper and should be approved. Accordingly, the Committee recommends the adoption by the Board of Trustees of the following Resolution: It Is Hereby Resolved by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois that the action heretofore taken by the Director of the Physical Plant Department of the University in declining, upon instructions received by him from the President of the University, to furnish a contractor specifications, and other documents requested by that contractor, to enable the latter to submit bids to the University for work upon certain University construction and improvement projects, which action was based upon the refusal of that contractor to sign and perform a contract previously awarded to him as the lowest bidder upon other University work, be, and the same is, hereby approved. Respectfully submitted,

JOHN R. FORNOF W I R T HERRICK M R S . DORIS S. HOLT M R S . FRANCES B. W A T K I N S HERBERT B. MEGRAN, Chairman

Committee on Buildings and Grounds

On motion of Mr. Herrick, this resolution was adopted.