Lake Land College Board Approves Bids for Fire Alarm System, John Deere Engine

Lake Land College Board of Trustees Meeting | October 13, 2025

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees on Monday, October 13, 2025, approved bids for two significant equipment purchases: a new fire alarm system for the Kluthe Center in Effingham and a John Deere engine for the college’s agriculture program.

Approved Purchases Key Points:

• Fire Alarm System: A bid of $39,945 from Commercial Electric, Inc. of Mattoon was approved for a replacement fire alarm system at the Kluthe Center.

• John Deere Engine: A bid of $71,090 from CK Power of St. Louis, Missouri, was approved for a John Deere 9.0L Final Tier 4 Engine.

• Grant Funding: The entire $71,090 cost of the engine will be reimbursed through a Perkins Grant.

MATTOON, IL – Lake Land College will move forward with key equipment upgrades after the Board of Trustees approved bids for a new fire alarm system and a state-of-the-art engine during its meeting on Monday, October 13, 2025.

The board awarded a $39,945 contract to Commercial Electric, Inc. of Mattoon for a comprehensive replacement of the fire alarm system at the Kluthe Center. According to Vice President for Business Services John Woodruff, the existing system is outdated and cannot be expanded to accommodate new city and state ordinance requirements for additional sensors and pull alarms.

In a separate action, the board approved the purchase of a John Deere 9.0L Final Tier 4 Engine from CK Power for $71,090. The engine, designed for heavy-duty agricultural and industrial applications, will be used to ensure students in the agriculture program train on industry-relevant technology. The entire cost of the engine will be reimbursed to the college through a Perkins Grant.

Both purchase recommendations were presented by Woodruff and approved unanimously by the board.