Board authorizes bond preparations for Percy Julian; construction updates show mixed timelines

The Montgomery County Board of Education on May 13 authorized district staff and advisers to prepare requests for proposals to select an underwriter for bonds to finance the new Percy Julian High School and approved temporary reimbursement authority for pre-issuance expenditures. The action was approved as part of the consent agenda, which passed unanimously.

The authorization allows the superintendent, the district chief school financial officer and financial advisers to prepare and distribute an RFP to hire underwriters for the bond warrants tied to the Percy Julian project. Pamela Watkins, the district’s chief school financial officer, told the board the resolution also lets the district “incur some expenditures necessary related to the Percy Julian project, prior to the issuance of those warrants” and be reimbursed afterward.

Board members heard detailed construction updates across the district. Volker project manager Penn reported South Lawn Middle School’s gym addition is about 65% complete but said she expects the contractor’s request for time extensions…