Transylvania County school bond subcommittee hears timeline updates; Brevard High permit expected, Rosman retaining wall scope may grow

The Transylvania County Schools’ school bond project subcommittee on a quarterly meeting required by an interlocal agreement received a project update from the system’s new project manager, who said permitting and contractor selection work is advancing at several schools and that some project scopes may change to address stormwater concerns.

The project manager, Allison (last name not specified), told the subcommittee she began work on May 19 and said the Department of Public Instruction returned comments on the Brevard High School (BHS) Old Gym scope 1. "We expect to get the permit back midweek and to start by the end of the week," Allison said, adding the contractor was evaluating the site and that the project’s anticipated completion remains October under the original timeline.

The update covered work at nine schools under the bond program. Allison said the construction manager at-risk (CMAR) selection process is under way: a CMAR request for qualifications is out and responses are due by the end of the week. Subcommittee members will receive the responses and a ranking matrix to score firms; the group plans to schedule a July meeting to review and, if possible, select a CMAR so contracting can move forward and give the architect better sequencing information.

Allison reported a separate county-managed storage-tank project is in progress. Contractors were working at Davidson River School and Pisgah Forest Elementary School, with plans to complete the Pisgah Forest work by the end of the week and then proceed to Brevard Elementary and Brevard High School. She said two tanks at BHS are among the final items the managing contractor, identified in the update as SNME, plans to complete.

On the Rosman High School retaining-wall repair, Allison said she and county staff reviewed historical documents and walked the site with consultants; she credited Jason Merrill for locating mid-1970s architectural drawings that helped clarify earlier design work. Allison said McGill, the consultant previously engaged for the retaining-wall scope, did quality work on the scope they were given but that she wants to meet with McGill to determine whether the scope should be changed to address a broader stormwater/root problem at the site. "I have no credentials that make that absolute. That's my opinion," she said, and added she will rely on McGill and other experts to identify the necessary scope and any budget revision.

A board member thanked Allison for her work and for locating historical documents, and said the collaboration would reduce the risk of redoing work later.

The subcommittee approved the project manager’s written report and the report template presented for future updates. A motion to approve the report and template was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. The subcommittee also approved minutes from the March meeting. No new business items required formal action; members were reminded to review the incoming CMAR RFQ responses and provide rankings.

Allison said LS3P, the architect team for several scopes, continues to review historical documents and perform site walks. She said sequencing decisions remain under discussion to determine whether a project should be county-led or school-led to achieve the most efficient sequence of operations.

Next steps identified by staff include meeting with McGill to determine the final scope and potential budget revision for the Rosman retaining-wall work, completing permitting and mobilizing the contractor at Brevard High School once the permit issues are closed, and reviewing CMAR RFQ responses for selection at an upcoming July meeting.

The subcommittee meets quarterly under the interlocal agreement; members signaled intent to reconvene for CMAR selection and for any budget revisions that may be necessary following consultant review.