Architects present options for East Coffee and Hickerson elementaries; board asks for 3‑section cost estimates

Consultants from Wold presented a site, capacity and cost study for East Coffee and Hickerson elementary schools at a Coffee County Board of Education work session and outlined options ranging from targeted maintenance and additions to full replacement.

Vaughn Dirks of the Wold team said the firm identified roughly $3 million of near‑term maintenance needs in each building and provided a “menu” of additions and renovation budgets so the district could compare costed renovation options against new‑construction estimates. He summarized the rule of thumb the firm uses: “If an addition and renovation on the building is going to exceed 60% of what new construction would be, that's a good time to start saying, does this really make sense or should we consider new construction?”

Why it matters: the district is balancing equity across buildings, current capacity, and projected growth. Board members want to avoid repeatedly investing in older buildings only to see families choose other districts, and they asked for enrollment‑projection work to clarify whether additions or a new school is the better long‑term investment.

What Wold presented

- Capacity and program: East Coffee was described as functioning near a two‑section model (roughly 260 students today with a two‑section target of about 275–280); a full three‑section model would exceed 390 students and would require an addition. Hickerson also can be expanded, but Wold noted site constraints (access, topography and a southern property line) that complicate additions.

- Cost estimates and thresholds: Wold provided a base project (targeted maintenance and program fixes) and optional additional work to reach three‑section capacities. The consultants presented a rough figure of about $18 million for a base East Coffee renovation package (the presenter clarified the figure in discussion as approximately $18 million rather than the larger transcription artifact that appeared during the presentation). Wold estimated that moving Hickerson to a full three‑section building would add several million dollars (presenters spoke of roughly a $3 million incremental cost for some three‑section options); consultants also said a fully new elementary could be substantially more (discussed in the meeting as tens of millions depending on size).

- Systems and code items: Wold noted that the district’s listed maintenance work included fire‑alarm and sprinkler system work; the presenters said a full fire‑alarm replacement would require a digital addressable system with voice evacuation per the state fire marshal, while smaller extensions can be handled without full replacement.

Discussion and board direction

Board members and school principals raised details about classroom use (speech, counseling and related services) and how flexible spaces are being used now. Trustees pressed for enrollment projections and redistricting scenarios before committing to major capital decisions. Several board members asked staff to determine whether county or municipal demographic studies already exist and to obtain third‑party enrollment projections if necessary.

The board asked Wold and staff to: - Price the options that bring each building to a full three‑section program (detailed three‑section cost estimates for East Coffee and Hickerson). - Confirm and, if needed, supplement existing demographic/enrollment studies (coordinate with municipal staff and the mayor’s office to find existing data and obtain third‑party projections if needed). - Provide a short list of options and corresponding budgets the board can take to the county commission for funding discussions.

Ending

The board agreed to return the topic to a future meeting with Wold’s three‑section budgets and any available demographic studies; no formal vote or decision to build or replace a school was made at the session.