District staff seek approvals for gym flooring, change order and painting renovation delivery; superintendent recommends contracts and architects

The Muscogee County School District's construction department asked the board Feb. 10 to approve multiple items related to facility maintenance and renovation.

Superintendent's recommendations included awarding a contract to Southeastern Service and Equipment for gym flooring replacement at Fox, South Columbus and Waddell elementary schools with a project budget of $190,000 (materials, installation and contingency), and approving change order No. 1 for the Hardaway High School upgrade project in the amount of $299,900 to replace damaged asphalt base caused by unsuitable underlying soil. Staff said the change order does not increase the overall board-approved budget for that project.

For a district-wide painting and minor renovation program tied to the 2024 East Blount funding, the construction department recommended using a construction-manager-at-risk project-delivery method and an architect selection (Neil Kendrick Murray PC) to evaluate, design and oversee the renovations. Staff said architect fees will be capped at a percentage of final construction cost (not to exceed 6%), which is a typical arrangement for renovation projects that require architectural sign-off for state reimbursement and code compliance.

Why it matters: The recommended actions address deferred maintenance and code- and reimbursement-related requirements. Staff emphasized that some projects qualify for partial state reimbursement but that architect involvement is required to meet state construction/reimbursement rules. Change orders and delivery methods can affect timelines and warranties.

Next steps: Each recommendation was presented for board approval; no formal roll-call vote was recorded in the work session transcript. Staff said they would return the items for formal action at the appropriate subsequent meeting or seek board approval as placed on the consent or action agenda.