Lincoln County board delays Highland Rim School renovation after engineers find structural and sewer issues

The Lincoln County Board of Education voted June 23 to delay the planned renovation of Highland Rim School for one year while staff reassess costs and options. The board’s motion to postpone was made by Mister Miller and seconded by Mister Daniels and passed with members voting in the affirmative.

Board members said the renovation team estimated construction would cost about $7.8 million while the district currently has about $6.5 million available, leaving a shortfall of roughly $1.3 million to $1.4 million. The board heard detailed explanations from staff and consultants about structural conditions and site utilities that could raise costs further.

The funding gap and the condition of the school’s exterior walls and sewer system were central to the discussion. A staff member described the original exterior walls as constructed like a “metal pole barn” with thin block and brick infill; a structural engineer advised the district that the minimum repair would require replacing existing exterior walls with thicker block to meet current codes. The staff member said the change in wall construction was a primary driver of the higher cost estimate.

A separate school facilities staff member told the board that the site experienced at least three sewer pumping issues last year and that accessing some sewer lines would require jackhammering through concrete that may trigger asbestos abatement and therefore extend closures and add cost. "Those old sewer lines are old and under that concrete," the staff member said, adding that abatement would "turn it into a whole different animal." The staff member also said the school’s newer mechanical systems, including a relatively new pumping station, had helped manage past problems.

Board members and staff discussed options including scaling back the renovation scope, funding from the district’s fund balance, or adding classroom capacity at another campus instead of renovating Highland Rim. Mister Miller suggested the district study the cost of adding a wing to the new school as an alternative and asked that the board consider those options at an upcoming retreat. Several board members noted the district already removed an intended new front-office addition from the plans to reduce costs.

No construction bids have been solicited. Staff said architect and construction-management work to date is limited to design and engineering; bid packages and full contractor pricing would be needed to refine the estimate. Board members who spoke supported delaying a full construction procurement until the district has a clearer picture of available funds and of structural remediation needs.

The board instructed staff to revisit the project in one year. The motion recorded was to delay the Highland Rim renovation for one calendar year and to revisit it at that time. The motion passed with board members voting "aye."