Meridian Public School District Board members voted unanimously Friday on two contracts for the air conditioning of cafeterias in the school district.

During a special called meeting, the board approved a contract for $425,750 with McClain Plumbing and Air Conditioning in Philadelphia and one for $323,141 with Heblon Heating and Electrical Service Inc. in Meridian.

According to Board President Fred Wile, originally only three of the district’s smaller cafeterias were expected to be replaced this summer.

“We thought larger equipment would be needed at the other cafeterias and the lead time would be too long to make it happen this summer,” Wile said.

But after Archie Scarbrough, director of maintenance for the MPSD, and David Butler, a Jackson engineer, looked at the project, a plan evolved that would result in air conditioning for all the district’s cafeterias.

“They split all the air conditioning into packages so they could have two contractors working on it simultaneously,” Wile said. “So if everything goes well, all the air conditioning will be completed this summer, which we’re really excited about.”

The project is the first action taken since a $19.5 million school bond was passed on March 27 during a special election. The bond will fund four major areas: air conditioning, $1,050,000; renovations, $5.25 million; Small Learning Communities, $3 million; and construction of a new school for ninth grade on the Meridian High School campus, $10.2 million.

In recent months, the school district board has been faced with opposition from the group Concerned Citizens of Meridian/Lauderdale County, who are planning to file a lawsuit to block the $19.5 million bond issue. Some of the group’s issues include the lack of minority teachers and administrators in the school district, and that Deputy Superintendent Robert Markham’s job was being eliminated.

Markham requested a hearing before the school board in May, however it was postponed at the request of his attorney, Bill Ready, for more time to prepare. The hearing has been rescheduled for July 31 at 9 a.m. at the Central Administration Building. The hearing is open to the public.