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Houston County Board of Education approves financial reports, capital agreements and purchasing items
Summary
At its regular monthly meeting, the Houston County Board of Education approved June and July financial reports, authorized more than $1 million in September purchases, approved construction and architect contracts for school projects and accepted several routine personnel and policy items; all recorded motions passed unanimously.
The Houston County Board of Education, meeting in regular session, approved a series of financial, purchasing and capital-project items with unanimous 7–0 votes, including the June and July 2025 financial reports, a September purchasing report totaling $1,065,561.40 from the general fund, contracts for school construction work and the selection of a construction manager at risk for the STEM Academy.
The approvals formalize funding and procurement actions that affect multiple Houston County schools. Board members voted to accept minutes from earlier meetings and to approve personnel reports, a policy revision, purchases from school activity funds and applications for state capital reimbursement tied to Perry High School.
Votes and key outcomes at a glance: 1) Minutes from August meetings — motion by Dr. Unruh, second by Mr. Nichols; approved, 7–0. 2) June and July 2025 financial reports (August 2025 for information only) — motion by Mr. Nichols, second by Mr. Irie; approved, 7–0. 3) September purchasing report (financial impact $1,065,561.40, general fund) — motion by Mr. Crockett, second by Dr. Unruh; approved, 7–0. 4) Out-of-county tuition rate of $2,415 for the 2025–26 school year for full-time employees out of county — motion by Mr. Ivory, second by Mr. Nichols; approved, 7–0. 5) Purchase of a Houston County High School football trailer (net cost after trade-in $3,795, to be paid from Houston County High School activity funds) — motion by Mrs. Johnson, second by Mr. Crockett; approved, 7–0. 6) Personnel reports for September — motion by Mr. Crockett, second by Mr. Nichols; approved, 7–0. 7) Revision of policy IFBG to comply with legislation referenced in the meeting (transcript references “House Bill 351” and later “Senate Bill 351”) — motion by Mr. Nichols, second by Dr. Unruh; approved, 7–0. 8) Amendment No. 9 to the contract with architects for the Flint Building renovation and Perry High School addition and renovation (as stated in the motion: amendment with Barrett/Altman and Barrack Architects) — motion by Mrs. Johnson, second by Mr. Ivory; approved, 7–0. 9) FY2027 state capital outlay project application for Perry High School (state reimbursement cited as $122,725) — motion by Dr. Unruh, second by Mr. Crockett; approved, 7–0. 10) Agreement with ICB Construction Group to serve as construction manager at risk for the STEM Academy (financial impact: 2.15% of guaranteed maximum price) — motion by Mr. Ivory, second by Mrs. Johnson; approved, 7–0. 11) Local board training plan for the 2025–26 school year — motion by Mr. Nichols, second by Dr. Unruh; approved, 7–0. The meeting adjourned by motion of Mr. Nichols, seconded by Mr. Crockett; approved, 7–0.
The largest single item presented for approval was the September purchasing report, which board members said had been reviewed in advance and carried a stated general-fund impact of $1,065,561.40. The board also approved a contract amendment for architectural services tied to both the Flint Building renovation and a Perry High School addition and approved submitting a FY2027 state capital outlay application that the staff said would yield a state reimbursement of $122,725 if awarded.
For the STEM Academy project, the board approved an agreement naming ICB Construction Group as construction manager at risk; the motion specified a fee expressed as 2.15% of the guaranteed maximum price. The board recorded that several capital and construction-related items were contingent on design and later procurement steps and, where applicable, state reimbursement or subsequent guaranteed maximum price approval.
Routine items approved included personnel reports, the purchase of a new football trailer for Houston County High School (net cost $3,795 to activity funds), and adoption of a local board training plan for the 2025–26 school year. The board also approved an out-of-county tuition rate of $2,415 for the 2025–26 school year for full-time employees described in the motion as “out of county.”
No motions failed or were tabled during the portion of the meeting covering the official business recorded in the transcript; every action taken in that section was approved by a 7–0 roll-call of raised hands. The board adjourned at the end of the agenda.
The superintendent and several principals also presented recognitions earlier in the meeting (students, teachers and extracurricular awards), but those items were ceremonial and separate from the formal votes summarized above.
