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Board approves Gaines Elementary renovation contracts, special inspections and capital outlay application
Summary
The Clarke County board approved a FY27 capital outlay application for Gaines, Holston and Burkes schools, awarded the Gaines renovation contract to GRAIL Construction and approved NOVA Engineering for special inspections; staff cited a one-year schedule and SPLOST funding.
The Clarke County Board of Education on Aug. 14 approved a series of facilities actions tied to SPLOST-funded projects: a capital outlay application for fiscal year 2027 for Gaines (renovation), Holston (roof) and Burkes (roof); a construction and renovation contract for Gaines Elementary awarded to GRAIL Construction; and a special inspections/testing contract award to NOVA Engineering.
District facilities director John Gilbreth explained that Gaines qualifies for renovation because the building is 20 years old, and the other two schools qualify for roof replacement. The capital outlay application is a prerequisite to submit pay applications and receive state reimbursement through the Department of Education. "This is for fiscal year 27 for those 3 schools," Gilbreth said during the meeting.
Bids ranged from roughly $12.8 million to $16 million for Gaines, with GRAIL and Carol Daniels as the top scorers after interviews; staff recommended GRAIL based on scope accuracy and experience, noting the firm built Clark Middle in the district. The board approved a one-year construction schedule: a notice to proceed would be issued if the contract was approved, with a planned start of Sept. 1, 2025 and completion by Aug. 1, 2026. Gilbreth said the district will use temporary classroom modules so students remain onsite during construction.
The board also approved a testing and inspections contract with NOVA Engineering to perform materials testing and compaction checks during construction. Staff said they had encouraged the construction contractor to engage minority subcontractors and would track minority participation and contract amounts. Board members asked about apprenticeship or career-academy partnerships; the facilities director said staff would pursue those possibilities and report back.
The board approved the items by voice vote. The projects are funded from SPLOST proceeds, and the board approved moving forward with procurement and contract execution so work can begin on the requested schedule.
