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Blount County School Board approves $5.41 million in capital and operating increases
Summary
The board approved funding shifts and new expenditures totaling about $5.41 million across technology, facilities, HVAC, safety systems and teacher incentive bonuses, including $600,000 for Chromebooks and $1.82 million in state teacher bonuses.
The Blount County School Board approved a package of budget increases and transfers totaling approximately $5,405,721.23 to fund technology, facilities projects, equipment and teacher bonuses.
Major approvals included a $600,000 transfer from Fund 141 to purchase Chromebooks for grades 1, 5 and 9; a contingency reserve amended and approved at $125,000 (Fund 177) to cover unforeseen change orders; $300,000 for architect fees; $45,264 for a maintenance truck; $437,992 for gym-floor replacements at Fairview and Friendsville; $550,000 for HVAC replacements across district sites; $709,078 for HVAC control systems at two schools; $419,979.63 to replace the Eagleton College and Careers fire-alarm panel; $200,000 for William Blount culinary equipment; a $200,000 transfer for continued maintenance; and acceptance and allocation of $1,818,407.60 in state teacher incentives.
Maintenance director James Dukes explained that a recent state fire-marshal requirement to install smoke dampers at the William Blount CTE project could cost about $89,000 and that having contingency funds avoids project demobilization and extra remobilization costs. Dukes said of contingency funds, “At the end of the year, if we do not use all of 300,000, it would all go back to the fund balance,” and described the change-order approval steps with purchasing and finance.
Several items were discussed before votes; most measures passed on roll-call tallies recorded in the meeting minutes. The board noted that Fund 177 projects require county commission approval before funds are spent.
The board’s approvals move multiple capital and maintenance projects into the design and procurement stages; some work (for example HVAC controls and fire-alarm replacement) will proceed through bidding and purchasing steps before contractors begin work.
