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Board hears $9.5 million HVAC proposal, $431,916 chiller request and construction status updates

Muscogee County School District Board (work session) · January 13, 2026
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Summary

Construction staff asked the board to approve a COP 2027 HVAC budget covering Blackman Road Middle and Downtown Elementary ($9,503,414) and a Rigdon Road Elementary chiller replacement ($431,916); a slideshow reviewed completed and ongoing site work across multiple schools.

The Department of Construction presented three primary items to the board: a proposed COP 2027 HVAC project developed by Freeman Associates that would cover work at Blackman Road Middle School and Downtown Elementary School with a stated budgetary impact of $9,503,414, and a chiller replacement at Rigdon Road Elementary totalling $431,916.

Mister Cantrell introduced the agenda items and the superintendent recommended approval of the budgets. Construction manager Ward Autumn led a slideshow showing completed and in-progress projects, including completion of a cool-and-tire installation at Blackman Road and demolition and reconstruction work at Connette Stadium.

Jeff Battles, director of construction and member of the district’s health and safety committee, explained that an unrelated procurement would upgrade AEDs and that units purchased would be placed in police vehicles and at athletic stadiums to ensure emergency coverage. “Right now, our police vehicles do not have operating AEDs in them,” Battles said, adding the new devices would also replace stadium units.

Board members asked for clarifications about project phasing and thanked staff; no formal vote was recorded during the work session. Staff said the contracts and budgets would return for formal board action at the appropriate meeting.