Wayne County Board of Education awards G and G Construction contracts for WCHS press box and stadium repairs

The Wayne County Board of Education voted at a special meeting to award G and G Construction two contracts for facilities work at Wayne County High School: one to build a new press box and another to carry out stadium repairs.

Board members said the facilities committee recommended G and G after reviewing competing estimates from the design team and soliciting input from local construction and vocational-education staff.

Board members and contractors discussed differences in scope and interior finishes between the higher-priced design-team bid and the lower-cost G and G bid. The design-team press-box estimate listed $237,809; the G and G press-box bid was $112,500. For stadium resurfacing and repairs the design-team bid was $129,673.59 and the G and G bid was $110,000, according to figures read into the record.

Jaren Abernathy, a carpentry teacher at the county technology center whose written comparison was entered into the discussion, said, "I feel the design team is estimating for a better finished building. However, G and G estimate will be a sufficient building, and it's significantly cheaper. If I were making the decision, I would go with G and G and save the money." The board placed weight on his assessment and on the facility committee's cost review.

Board member Van Fleet, who took part in the facilities committee's review, said the committee favored G and G in part because the lower-cost approach uses finished plywood siding rather than interior sheetrock. "I almost feel like the outside siding, the plywood would be more durable for what we're [using it] for," Van Fleet said, noting limited interior use of the press box and concerns about damage and maintenance of interior finishes.

Committee members also discussed heating and maintenance: the press box would use mini-split heat and air units, which require school maintenance to switch on and off as needed. Board members noted the press box is chiefly used during the August–November football season and is not occupied year-round, a fact they said factored into the decision about interior finishes and ongoing heating costs.

The board conducted roll-call votes for both awards. In each vote, the tally recorded four yes votes and two absences (Second and Fifth Districts), and both motions passed. The chair read the facilities-committee recommendation aloud before each vote and publicly thanked the bidders and staff for their work.

The board concluded the special meeting after taking the awards and said its next regular meeting will be in March.