Barren County Schools Superintendent Bo Matthews along with the Board of Education listen to the progress being made on the renovations at their Tuesday meeting. Michael Crimmins/Glasgow News 1.
By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
The Barren County Board of Education had a special-called meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the central office to discuss renovation updates and the purchase of new school buses. Assistant Superintendent Cortni Crews said the board members moved the meeting from the usual second Thursday of the month due to the Red and White Scrimmage and the high school tours that will “kick off” the Barren County High School’s 50th celebration. The event was at BCHS on Thursday.
After the student and faculty recognitions — which recognized three individuals from North Jackson Elementary — Superintendent Bo Matthews turned the floor over to Alliance Corporation Board Chair Tommy Gumm, who gave then an update on the many renovations they were undertaking. All the renovations mentioned are part of the BCHS Renovation Project that was approved by the board on Aug. 22.
Gumm started with some schedule changes like they have fast-tracked the elevator installation, which Gumm said will be finished before graduation. Also on the subject of schedule changes was the glass rails that will be installed in the gymnasium. Work will start on the installation in March and ideally be finished before graduation in May.
On the whole, Gumm said, they were “on schedule” with the various projects however he did mention a few setbacks to the projects. The first of which was the ground around the press box that was “unsuitable soil” that hindered them setting the foundation. However, Gumm said he had worked with American Engineers and RBS Group President Craig Thomas to make adjustments.
“We’re in a position to make a slight change in our foundation and hopefully keep the costs to a minimum,” Gumm said. “It seemed like the deeper we went the worse the soil got.”
The second piece of “bad news” he had for the board was the acquisition of the switchgear. He said switchgears had roughly a 52 week delay. Lastly, Gumm mentioned the cafeteria and the kitchen and the issue of where to house the children while the renovations are taking place.
CheyAnne Fant, Director of Nutrition Services and Afterschool Programs, said they will likely have to pair down the menu — or rather the options not the quality of the meals — while renovations were taking place. For example, they may decrease the grab-and-go options down from seven.
“Our choices are going to dwindle with the space we’ll have,” Fant said. “I think we’ll be fine.”
“Lots of challenges, lots of patience required,” Matthews added.
After Gumm had presented the renovation updates, he turned to the proposed access road. Gumm said the AEI are doing field work and should have preliminary drawings within two weeks.
“Hopefully that’ll keep us on our 60 schedule,” Gumm said.
Also at the meeting, Joey Bunch, director of transportation, asked for their approval to purchase five new school buses. While he doesn’t have the price list yet — since they are still waiting on the six the district ordered last year — he wanted their approval so he can put the order in and “be first in line.”
“If you take the number of buses we got divided by 14 years, that puts us at five buses per year,” Bunch said. “If we can annually get five buses a year that will keep us revolving every 14 years and keep the fleet up to date.”
The board also discussed the 94.28 percent district-wide attendance rate, one shortened school day for a student at Red Cross Elementary, a contract for three snack vending machines at BCHS and two easements that will, Anthony Frazier, director of pupil personnel, said will hopefully come before the board next month.
The next board of education meeting is scheduled for Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m.
Comments