Cannon County board reviews multiple school facility projects, scoreboards and alumni brick plan

CANNON COUNTY, Tenn. — The Cannon County Board of Education on June 10 discussed a package of maintenance and capital items affecting school facilities and equipment and directed staff to gather prices, timelines and implementation plans before final approvals.

Board members were presented with several items pulled together for discussion: replacement or repair of football field house flooring, removal of outdated biology lab stations in Room 205 at Cannon County High School, phased removal of sets of lockers, replacement of two gym scoreboards, pulling and refinishing damaged plastic bleacher flooring and several cabinetry removal and remodel requests for middle‑ and high‑school instructional spaces. The board also reviewed a fundraising proposal from the Touchdown Club to install alumni bricks at the entrance to the football field.

Why it matters: The items range from safety fixes and code‑adjacent work (trip hazards at gym bleachers; lab stations with water, gas and electrical services) to capital upgrades (scoreboards and possible long‑term field enhancements) that will affect budgets and summer maintenance plans.

Key details - Football field house flooring: Board heard that the vendor will perform the flooring work at no charge; maintenance staff will need to disconnect and reset plumbing fixtures and toilets. The board noted the work will require coordination with maintenance staff and minimal district cost beyond pulling and resetting fixtures.

- Room 205 lab stations (CCEHF biology classroom): Staff described the units as built‑in lab stations originally supplied with water, gas and electricity. Several speakers warned removal is not a simple lift‑and‑carry job because water and gas lines are present and capped; electrical and flooring under the stations will need inspection. The board asked maintenance to obtain pictures and cost estimates and suggested treating the job as a summer project or contracting the work if district crews are not available.

- Lockers at the high school: Homeland Security representatives who walked the building last year encouraged reducing open lockers. Board members discussed removing one set outside administrative offices as a starter project, using inmate crews for removal, and installing tile where lockers are taken out. The board asked staff to start the process and obtain pricing and a phased plan rather than removing all lockers at once.

- Gym scoreboards: The board received a vendor quote and condition report. Repair contractor notes that many display bulbs and back connections are failing and cannot be repaired because the units are obsolete. A bid included one full‑feature scoreboard at about $11,430 and a basic replacement at about $4,600 plus control panels, shipping and installation; the vendor offered a five‑year maintenance warranty. Board members discussed splitting purchases across fiscal years and fundraising options such as the Touchdown Club but did not vote on a purchase at the workshop.

- Bleacher flooring and bleacher trip hazards: District staff said the plastic bleacher covering is wearing and has become a trip hazard; a commercial replacement estimate discussed earlier was roughly $70,000. Staff proposed removing the damaged plastic in areas and staining or sealing the underlying wood as a lower‑cost interim fix; maintenance staff will perform the work and purchase materials.

- Middle‑school art room and STEM lab cabinetry removal: The board reviewed requests to remove cabinetry in Room 501 (art room) and older cabinetry in a high‑school STEM classroom to prepare for equipment moves or upgrades. Staff said grant funds are available for contracting the work if necessary; district teams will evaluate summer timelines and whether to hire contractors.

- Alumni bricks and touchdown club fundraiser: The Touchdown Club seeks permission to construct small columns or an alumni wall at the football‑field entrance for engraved bricks sold as a fundraiser. The board indicated it will need a formal fundraiser request form with pricing and construction details; the board signaled preliminary support for allowing construction pending review of the fundraising request and construction plan.

What the board directed (discussion vs. decision) - Staff were directed to obtain photographs, firm cost estimates and timelines for removal of the Room 205 lab stations, locker removal (phased plan and tile needs), scoreboard replacement options and masonry work for alumni bricks. - Maintenance was identified as the responsible team for several projects; when district crews cannot complete work in summer windows staff may issue competitive quotes or hire contractors (for example, STEM cabinetry or heavy tile work). - No formal purchase vote for scoreboards occurred at the workshop; board members asked for three quotes if total purchase exceeds local bid thresholds and discussed splitting purchases across fiscal years.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this discussion included staff identified in the packet such as Melanie, Lydia (Lydia Garrett), Colin, Jason and members of the maintenance team. The board repeatedly emphasized safety (trip hazards) and budget constraints when prioritizing work.

Next steps Staff will return with photographs, written cost estimates and an updated timeline for each project so the board can consider formal motions at a future meeting or a special call.