Marion County board weighs West Marion track change order, approves routine district business and trips

The Marion County School District Board discussed a potential change order on the West Marion High School track project that district leaders said could add significant costs, while the board approved a slate of routine personnel, financial and travel items.

During his superintendent’s report, Superintendent Foster told the board that Hoppy Architect’s pre-construction notes showed that items required to host track-and-field meets — including runways and pits for long jump, high jump and pole vault — were not included in the project’s current design. Foster said Hoppy provided an estimate of about $180,000 to add the missing field items but that, "with credits," the district might reduce that figure to roughly $134,000. He told the board the district has identified approximately $60,000 in its current budget that could be applied while staff and legal counsel investigate whether the work can be added by change order or requires rebidding.

"If that's going to be discussed in that, we'll move that to executive," Board attorney Brian West said when a public commenter raised a student-related matter; West asked the commenter to speak to the board in executive session because it involved a student. (The board subsequently scheduled the student matter for executive session.)

Why it matters: Without the additional field items, Foster said, West Marion would not be able to host district-level meets or larger events that require scoring in the full slate of track-and-field events. Hosting events can generate revenue for the district and provide competitive opportunities for student-athletes; adding the missing elements would change the project scope and cost.

Board discussion and next steps

Foster said he had discussed the issue with Bonnie (project staff) and with contract counsel Jim Young of Young Law Group; Young told the board he believed a change order was possible but that staff needed to review contract documents before proceeding. The board directed staff to continue working with Bonnie and Young to evaluate the budget impact and legal pathway, and to report back at a future meeting with a recommendation on whether to proceed by change order or to rebid the omitted components.

Foster also informed the board there will be a bid opening the next day for a West Marion lighting project for softball; no award was made at the meeting.

Other substantive items

- Superintendent’s staffing and testing updates: Foster reported the district completed a second benchmark assessment in December and said staff have used that data to develop classroom plans for the next nine weeks. He reported a district testing coordinator change and said the person serving as the district test coordinator is the district's legal representative to the state/federal testing authority for spring testing. Foster also said the district discipline committee chair has been reassigned for the remainder of the school year.

- Facilities walkthroughs: Board members asked staff to schedule facilities and project walkthroughs at East Marion, West Marion, the West Marion Career Center and other district properties to review ongoing and near-complete projects.

Votes at a glance (key approvals)

The board approved routine business and personnel items by voice vote or unanimous roll call where noted. Vote tallies shown are the recorded totals in the meeting.

- Adoption of agenda: passed (5–0). - Approval of minutes from the Dec. 9, 2024 regular board session and board policies (BCBH and BCBHA): passed (5–0). - Consent agenda (fundraisers, 5.1–5.1.15): passed (5–0). Motion to approve fundraisers was made by Mr. Jenkins and seconded by Miss Lille (as recorded). - Acceptance of donation: New York Life Insurance, $1,015 to East Marion Elementary PTO; funds to purchase incentives for students and staff: approved (5–0). - Disposal of antiquated inventory: approved (5–0). - Approval of the district’s 2024–2025 testing plan: approved (5–0). - Approval of athletic schedules: approved (5–0). - Approval of student transfers and a student personnel matter: board moved discussion of a student-related transfer to executive session (direction recorded; deliberation closed to the public). - Approval of out-of-state field trip: West Marion High School show choir to Opelika High School (Opelika, Ala.), Feb. 7–8, 2025, pending documentation: approved (5–0). - Approval of out-of-state field trip: East Marion High School band to a Mardi Gras parade performance in Slidell, La., Feb. 23, 2025: approved (5–0). - Approval of incentive pay for teachers of AP/DC courses under federal program policy: approved (5–0). - Approval of resignations and retirements: approved (5–0). - Approval of recommendations (stipends/position pay): approved (5–0); specific stipend amounts were not included in the agenda packet as posted to the board meeting transcript. - Approval of exceptions payroll: approved (5–0). - Approval of listed employees to travel to Opelika and Slidell for the trips above: approved (5–0). - Approval of claims (docket numbers 250-1594 through 250-1807): approved (5–0). - Approval of financial reports, reconciled bank statements, fund balance analysis, statement of revenue and expenditures and monthly cash flow statements: all approved (5–0). - Approval of fixed asset deletions: approved (5–0). - Approval of lease cancellation: three-acre residential lease, lease ID 168570: approved (5–0).

What the board did not decide

The board did not vote on awarding any construction contracts at the meeting and did not finalize a funding pathway for the track work; staff were directed to return with more information, including whether the additional items can be added via change order and a clearer budget plan.

Ending

Board members welcomed Superintendent Foster and two newly seated board members, Jimmy Walters and Lil Johnson, and thanked district staff for the start of the semester. The board adjourned after completing the scheduled business and moving a student personnel matter to executive session for confidential consideration.