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Board adopts East Bluffs 5 budget; $14.8 million set aside for Woodville‑Tompkins amid calls for clearer plan
Summary
The Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Education on July 9 adopted the East Bluffs 5 multiyear capital budget, including a $14,800,000 line item for Woodville‑Tompkins High School that sparked an extended board debate about scope and timing.
The Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Education on July 9 adopted the East Bluffs 5 (ESPLOST) multiyear capital budget, including a $14,800,000 allocation tied to Woodville‑Tompkins High School. Board members pressed staff for clearer specifics on how the money will be used and when projects will occur.
Board member Dr. Howard Hall opened a long exchange about Woodville‑Tompkins, noting the school’s history: “Woodville Tompkins was established in 1847,” and pressing for clarity about whether the lower campus would be demolished, reconstructed or replaced. Capital projects staff and district leadership said the $14.8 million is in the E5 budget to support a range of work — including HVAC replacement, roofing, site improvements for athletic fields and possible construction adjacent to the upper campus — but that the exact scope will be defined during design and after community engagement.
The superintendent’s office said some work (HVAC and roofing) has separate line items and will proceed on schedule; the $14.8 million is intended for programmatic expansion and site work that may include a building addition near the upper campus or future construction on the lower campus. Capital projects staff told the board that some systems are portable and that technology (security, cameras, duress systems) is typically re‑used when a building is closed for renovation.
Several board members said the debate exposed a communications gap. Dr. Hoskins Brown said the lack of a concrete explanation to Dr. Howard Hall at the meeting was “problematic,” urging that the $14.8 million should have been grounded in specific proposed uses when the E5 list was prepared. Other members emphasized that the E5 allocations are intentionally flexible until architects and community input define final plans and cautioned against prematurely committing to a build type or footprint.
Staff described planning steps that would follow: assessments, soil studies, relocation of programs now housed in the lower campus (for example, Building Bridges), continued site feasibility work by civil engineers and community engagement to define programmatic needs (CTAE, athletics, classroom space). The superintendent said the priority list and project rubric will be shared with the board at an upcoming CIC meeting in August.
Board members urged timely town halls and project management assignment to ensure momentum and community oversight. Several members emphasized that while the money is identified in E5, the district will still need to finalize priorities and designs before committing to a specific construction approach.
The board adopted the East Bluffs 5 budget by voice vote during the meeting; members were told the money is reserved for CTAE programmatic expansion, roofing, HVAC and site improvements, with more definitive plans to follow.
