Henderson County board hears facilities update: 398 work orders, HVAC replacements and ISM grant for outdoor classrooms

The Henderson County Board of Education on an evening meeting heard a facilities and capital-projects update from the director of schools, who outlined maintenance activity and planned work through the district’s strategic facilities plan.

Director of Schools (name not specified) told the board the district processed 398 work orders since July 1 and has allocated about $795,058 so far from a capital outlay budget originally set at $2,100,000. “These investments have allowed us to make visible improvements in safety infrastructure in the learning environment district wide,” the director said.

Among completed or ongoing projects the director listed replacing 23 HVAC units, installing new security fencing, ongoing roof-leak repairs, LED lighting upgrades, sinkhole and drainage remediation, playground fencing, and restoration work at the Bargainton Lagoon. The director credited TDEC and district maintenance staff for assistance bringing the lagoon work to completion.

The director also outlined a multi-year strategic plan split into current-year, 2–5 year and 10-year priorities and provided a handout of completed work orders and projects. He said a recently approved security enclosure is expected to cost about $600,000 and highlighted LED lighting upgrades and communications improvements as districtwide efforts.

A facilities adviser (identified in the meeting as a consultant) advised the board that engaging architects and engineers and completing design work for major renovations typically takes six to seven months, and recommended the board start the procurement and design work promptly if it wants projects completed in the next fiscal year.

The director reported the district received roughly $1,300,000 in an ISM grant to build seven outdoor classrooms; he said Lexington High School and Scotts Hill have approximately $400,000 in ISM funds available for approved equipment or program expansion. Details about specific project schedules and procurement steps were not specified during the report.

Next steps: the board received the report and supporting handouts and did not vote on a new capital authorization during the recorded segments. Board members thanked staff for the work and progress updates.