New Albany-Floyd County board approves summer construction bids, wastewater change order and two coaching hires

The New Albany-Floyd County School Board on April 28 unanimously approved several summer construction contracts and a change order, and confirmed two varsity basketball head-coaching hires.

Mr. Wendt, a district staff member who presented the facilities bids, told the board “The total for them is 3,309,000,” referring to the combined Prosser bid packages and recommended the board approve that amount. The board approved the motion 7-0.

The approval also included a bid to convert an unused pool at Scribner into indoor athletic space. Mr. Wendt said contractors would "put a gym floor down" and install basketball goals, and that the space would support wrestling, dance, cheer and other activities. The dollar amount for the Scribner pool infill was spoken several ways in the meeting record; one speaker read “1,000,600,” and another voice read a larger figure that could not be confirmed from the transcript. The board’s recommendation noted the Scribner bid "came under budget," and the board approved that item by voice vote 7-0.

The board also approved change order No. 1 for wastewater treatment work at Floyds Knobs and Greenville Elementary School sites. The administration said the original contract price had been $640,500, the change order is $154,100, and the revised total for the project is $794,600. Mr. Wendt said crews found substantially more rust and failed material than initially visible — the project team had anticipated about 50 square feet of deterioration but found roughly 300 square feet — and that the additional work, including sandblasting, metal repair and extra haul-off, was necessary. The board approved the change order 7-0.

On personnel, the board approved the recommendation to hire Kelsey Taylor as head girls basketball coach at New Albany High School. Mr. Garman, who presented the recommendation, described Taylor as a 2018 graduate of New Albany who played collegiately at Trine University and Butler University and earned a master’s degree in marketing in 2024. Kelsey Taylor addressed the board and said, “I will coach these young ladies to be outstanding leaders, excellent students, and great basketball players.” The hiring motion passed 7-0.

After a competitive search with 24 applicants and two interview rounds, the board recommended Michael McBride as head boys basketball coach at Floyd Central High School. The board approved McBride’s hire by recorded vote with six yes votes and one abstention. In remarks to the board, McBride said, “I’m not here for me. I’m here for these players and students at Floyd Central High School,” and said he would meet parents and players that evening to develop a shared program vision.

Board members who recorded “aye” votes during the meeting included Mrs. Weishardt, Mrs. Carruthers, Mrs. Ball, Mrs. Galligan, Mr. Nathis, Mrs. Northup and Mrs. Gardner for the items voted 7-0. The boys coaching hire passed with six yes votes and one abstention; the transcript did not record which member abstained.

Board discussion during the meeting flagged concerns about bid fidelity and contingency planning after the large change order on the wastewater project. A district representative said the district reviewed the contract and spoke with Heritage Engineering and the contractor M.W. Cole to understand the discrepancy and that photographs of the damaged tanks exist in the project file. The administration recommended approval so crews could complete summer work on schedule.

The board opened the meeting with a moment of silence for a student loss and had no public commenters signed up. The meeting then proceeded through the listed business items before adjourning.