Director reports athletic-facility progress, under-budget North Sumner bid and upcoming school visits

Sumner County Director of Schools Dr. Lam updated the education committee on athletic facilities, an under-budget bid for North Sumner Elementary and upcoming school site visits during the March 17 meeting.

Dr. Lam said the Station Camp field was “totally uprooted” and the track work is among the tightest jobs; he said contractors hope the work will finish before the first home football game. “The track's scraped and everything,” he said. He reported Portland's press box is currently in Texas awaiting shipment and that Portland’s work is moving slowly until steel goes up. The Gallatin track and the Merle Hyde project remain contingent on zoning approvals with local cities, he said.

On construction costs he said the district received “a great bid on North Sumner” and expected the school board to approve it; the bid was under budget, he said, but gave no dollar figures. The committee asked whether material stockpiles visible near Gallatin Highway were related to the track work; Dr. Lam confirmed materials are staged and that faculty parking lots were being used for storage.

Dr. Lam also reminded the committee of school visits scheduled for the coming Wednesday: TW Hunter at 10 a.m. and White House High School at about 11:15 a.m.; he said White House High School is the district's only STEM high school and encouraged members to tour its facilities.

No formal votes were taken on construction updates at the meeting; members received the report and asked questions about timing and staging.