Lake Land Trustees Approve Performance Contract for $4 Million Library Overhaul

Lake Land College Board of Trustees Meeting | May 11, 2026

Article Summary: The Lake Land College Board of Trustees approved a performance agreement with Omni Energy Partners of Lake St. Louis, Missouri, capped at $400,000, to manage a planned $4 million HVAC replacement and remodel of the Judge Learning Resource Center.

Learning Resource Center Project Key Points:

• The board’s approval covers Omni Energy Partners’ fee of 10% of actual project cost, not to exceed $400,000; the total project budget is anticipated at $4 million.
• The library’s HVAC system has multiple failures and is described as in dire need of replacement; potential federal tax credits of $300,000 to $500,000 could offset the HVAC portion.
• Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2027 and finish in fall 2027, with all future work bid through the college’s normal process and brought back to the board.
• The project will be funded through a combination of fund balance and public health safety funds.

MATTOON — The Lake Land College Board of Trustees on Monday, May 11, 2026, approved a performance agreement with Omni Energy Partners of Lake St. Louis, Missouri, for an amount not to exceed $400,000, setting in motion a planned $4 million HVAC replacement and remodel of the college’s Judge Learning Resource Center, the campus library.

Vice President for Business Services John Woodruff presented the item, which trustees passed unanimously on a roll-call vote, 7-0, with Student Trustee Wyatt Draper absent. Trustee Larry Lilly moved approval and Trustee Gary Cadwell seconded.

According to Woodruff’s memo in the board packet, the library’s HVAC system “has multiple failures and is in dire need of replacement,” and the replacement would qualify for potential tax credits under Section 48 of the Internal Revenue Code. The remodel work covers the IT area and the main and second floors, with the main-floor remodel aimed at enhancing student use. The library remodel is on the college’s Master Facility plan, and the college plans to solicit student feedback as part of the remodel effort.

Two Proposals, Scored by Rubric

Rather than a traditional architecture engagement, the college used a performance-contract approach. The request for proposals was advertised in major in-district daily newspapers and on the college’s facilities website, with specifications mailed to area contractors. Two proposals were received, from Omni Energy Partners and Veregy, Inc. The facilities team met with each vendor for an hour, asked questions about key attributes of the proposals, and then scored each vendor using a rubric based on proposed solutions and related costs. The team recommended Omni Energy Partners.

Under the agreement, Omni charges 10% of the actual project cost rather than projected cost, a structure Woodruff told the board potentially offers savings. With an anticipated $4 million budget, payments would total approximately $400,000. On the remodel portion, the college expects to recognize savings versus a traditional architect, and the HVAC portion would be offset by potential tax credits of $300,000 to $500,000 that Omni can navigate on the college’s behalf.

The remodel’s preliminary design creates more group study opportunities for students and an active connection to the Luther Student Center, including a door connecting the student center to the Learning Resource Center.

Contract Terms

The master agreement included in the packet identifies the contractor as Omni Energy Partners, LLC, a Missouri corporation at 214 Villa Drive, Lake St. Louis. Its printed terms require a performance and payment bond equal to the contract price before work begins, compliance with the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, criminal background checks for all workers on site, monthly progress invoicing at net 30 days, and a mobilization fee of 15% of the contract price due at contract execution. The agreement’s energy guarantee attachment states a term of 20 years from final project acceptance, with utility rates escalated at not less than 3% annually for savings calculations. Key financial fields in the packet version of the agreement — including the contract price and the savings schedule — are blank pending execution.

All future bids for the HVAC and remodel work will go through the college’s normal bid process, with recommendations submitted to the board for approval.