Appropriations Committee rejects Campbell County High School construction request in supplemental

The House Appropriations Committee declined to include Campbell County High School in its supplemental capital-construction recommendation after a roll-call vote on Unit 1208 failed 3-4.

Committee members spent more than an hour questioning State Construction Department staff and local lawmakers about the condition of the existing high school, prior studies and what planning still remains before construction could begin. Shelby Carlson, School Facilities Division administrator for the State Construction Department, told the committee the Mercer facility analyses and a statewide facilities assessment drove the district's request to replace the existing building rather than remodel it.

Carlson said the campus is highly oversized for current enrollment, at about 300,000 square feet, and has multiple additions and circulation challenges that complicate security and maintenance. She recounted that the district had performed four Mercer studies over several years and that the most recent recommended replacement on the site of the football field, with demolition of the older buildings and retention of one vocational building.

Committee members pressed staff on timing, costs and outstanding work. Carlson said the Legislature previously appropriated design funding of a little over $7 million but that additional design and soft costs included in the supplemental request total roughly $3.5 million. She also said the current construction request covers two separate projects: the high school and a Campbell County transportation (bus barn) facility. Carlson told members there was not yet a committed allowance in the request for asbestos abatement at the high school; investigators will test the building during the additional design work and return a specific cost estimate later.

Representative Scott Smith and Vice Chair Ken Pendergraft moved and seconded an amendment to reduce Unit 1208 by $16,102,128 to reflect updated Campbell County estimates supplied by the State Construction Department. That amendment passed. The committee then took a roll-call vote on Unit 1208 as amended. The roll call recorded the following votes: Representative Bill Alleman (No); Representative Abby Angelos (Aye); Representative Harrelson (No); Representative Ken Pendergraft (No); Representative Tre Sherwood (Aye); Representative Scott Smith (No); Chairman John Baer (Aye). The tally was 3 ayes, 4 noes; the item therefore did not advance in this committee vote.

Committee staff and members emphasized that this roll call addressed only whether to include the line item in the committee's bill at this stage; several speakers noted there would be additional opportunities for floor consideration and for the body to amend the final package. State Construction Director Delbert Picomi told the committee the department prefers to leave previously appropriated funds in place until contracts are advertised and bids received so that money can be used if needed; he said that for one separate project the department expects to advertise this spring.

Representatives from Campbell County (including local lawmakers on the committee) described recurring operational problems at the school, including sewer issues that had prompted closures in the past and dozens of exterior doors that complicate securing the campus. Members also discussed trade-offs between remodelling portions of an oversized building versus replacement; Carlson said consultants found partial remodels were not cost effective for this site.

With the Campbell County construction request not included, members discussed shifting focus toward major maintenance and component projects for K-12 facilities to extend building life while larger construction decisions await further floor action.

The committee moved on to other capital-construction units after the vote; members requested additional cost detail from the State Construction Department on outstanding design, asbestos investigation and demo funding so they could consider next steps.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are drawn from the committee transcript and include Shelby Carlson, the State Construction Department official who gave the project history and scope; Delbert Picomi, Director, State Construction Department; Mr. Richards (committee staff presenting the agency material); and members of the House Appropriations Committee who spoke or voted on Unit 1208: Representative Bill Alleman; Representative Abby Angelos; Representative Harrelson; Representative Ken Pendergraft; Representative Tre Sherwood; Representative Scott Smith; and Chairman John Baer.