Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves multimillion-dollar construction, roofing, playground and grant packages
Summary
The Knox County Board of Education approved several contracts and grant awards including a $44.5 million owner-contractor agreement for a new Farragut-area elementary school and playground replacements funded largely by donations.
The Knox County Board of Education on Thursday approved a series of contracts, grants and fund designations totaling dozens of millions of dollars for new construction, maintenance and school programs.
Key approvals included an owner-contractor agreement with Merit Construction Inc. for construction of a new Farragut-area elementary school at $44,547,000; contracts for cable networking services up to $650,000 annually with BOETell ETN Company LLC and Digital Group LLC; annual roofing-service contracts up to $3,000,000 with Escola LLC, Henley Roofing Company and Skilled Services Quality Construction LLC; and acceptance of a $30,000 Lawson Family Foundation grant for the Project SEARCH transition-to-work program.
"A motion by Ms. Morgan, a second by Ms. Bight" carried the Farragut construction contract, according to meeting minutes. The board approved networking, roofing and other contracts by similar motions and voice votes.
The board also approved replacing playgrounds at Bonnie Kate, Christenberry and Copper Ridge elementary schools at a total cost of $859,942.47, to be paid with up to $809,946.87 in donated funds from the Knox Education Foundation and $49,995.60 from KCS general purpose funds. A fund-balance designation of $625,000 was approved to replace a portable classroom at Rocky Hill Elementary School.
Smaller arts and education grants were approved as well, including a $600 Tennessee State Parks Conservancy grant for Carter Elementary and a $260 Knoxville Museum of Art grant for Gibbs Middle School. The board approved an Oak Ridge Associated Universities grant of $25,000 for Halls High School—s Extreme Classroom Makeover.
Several contracts allow for multi-year extensions; many motions passed by voice vote with no roll-call tally provided in the meeting transcript. "Do we have any discussion? Seeing there is none, all those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries," a recorder noted repeatedly during the approvals.
