Board awards $641,250 bid for CBA combined concession and restroom facility; contract approved pending legal review

The Wayne County Board of Education voted Jan. 6 to accept the low bid from Carolina Bay Construction for the Charles B. A. concession-and-restroom project, approving the base bid plus alternate for a total of $641,250, and authorized the contract pending final legal review.

Doctor Harrell and Facilities staff told the board the project is more than a typical concession stand: the scope includes restroom facilities sized to serve stadium capacity (restrooms for men and women) and food-prep areas. Staff said construction costs have risen broadly and that restroom work is a major cost driver. The Facilities Committee had earlier recommended the bid with a negotiated reduction in construction days (from 275 to 190 calendar days).

Board members asked about funding and equity concerns. Staff and board members said the project funding is a combination of a Booster Club contribution (about $200,000 raised by the Charles B. A. Booster Club), a $50,000 district capital fund allocation set aside previously, and state School Construction/Infrastructure funds (referenced as Representative Bell's commitment and state grant funds) that constitute the remaining majority. Staff said that, as presented, no local operating dollars would be required for the project. One board member raised equity concerns about spending on a single site versus other schools, but others said the funds were committed and the project addresses restroom replacements and long-standing facility needs.

The board approved the bid award (motion carried by a 6-1 voice/hand vote as called in the meeting) and later approved the contract pending legal review.

Why it matters: The project replaces modular/restroom infrastructure at a stadium and is materially larger than a simple concession stand; funding sources and long-term facility upgrades were central to board questions about equity and priorities.