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E.B. Frank Middle School construction cleared to proceed; land transfer recorded, timeline revised
Summary
A district staff member told the board that the E.B. Frank Middle School land transfer has been recorded and attorneys have approved the guaranteed maximum price, clearing the way for contractors to begin conditional work the week of July 15, 2025.
A district staff member told the Lenoir County Board of Education on June 30 that the E.B. Frank Middle School construction project will move forward after two recent developments: the land transfer to Lenoir County Public Schools has been recorded, and attorneys have approved the project's guaranteed maximum price (GMP). District staff said notice-to-proceed letters will be issued to winning contractors beginning July 15, 2025, and subcontractors can begin site work immediately upon receiving those letters.
The presenter said the meeting corrected an earlier public statement that construction would start in June; instead, attorneys at the firm Barrington Smith informed the district that notice-to-proceed letters will be sent July 15. The presenter said the land conveyance from the town of LaGrange to Lenoir County Public Schools was completed and recorded at the register of deeds; lease-termination paperwork with a local farmer who had planted on the parcel was also finalized.
District staff reported that the district's attorneys approved the GMP after negotiations resolved several line-item changes and cost differences that staff characterized as "more than a couple $100,000." The presenter credited Rob Malone with identifying the discrepancies and said Metcon, the construction firm, worked with the district and the attorneys to reach agreement.
Contractors and the district also discussed adding terrazzo flooring to the new building. The presenter said the material costs for terrazzo would be roughly $400,000 and labor roughly $200,000 (about $600,000 total) compared with the original flooring plan. Metcon's owner, Aaron Thomas, reportedly agreed to expedite schedules and alter sequencing so the terrazzo installation would not add the nearly $500,000 in expediting charges that had been proposed earlier. Under the revised plan presented to the board, the district would take keys in January 2026, use February for transition work, and occupy the building in March 2026. The presenter said that contractors will set up a construction trailer on site and install temporary water wells prior to the July 15 conditional start.
No budget vote for the GMP was recorded at the meeting; the presenter said the district anticipates signing the GMP by Wednesday of the week following the meeting and will provide updates during construction. The staff presenter also emphasized that subcontractors may begin preparatory work as soon as they receive individual notice-to-proceed letters.
Next steps the presenter listed were final GMP signature, contractor mobilization the week of July 15, and routine construction-phase updates to the board. The presenter invited board members to ask questions about the timeline and decisions made with Metcon and counsel.
