Jackson County boards review multi‑school construction plans as middle‑school grant deadline looms

Jackson County commissioners and the Jackson County Public Schools board met in a joint informational session to review the status, budgets and schedules for multiple school construction projects, including the Smoky Mountain Middle School, Smoky Mountain High School track and field complex, Blue Ridge campus improvements, Fairview Elementary cafeteria and a proposed replacement bus garage.

Dr. Ayers, a lead presenter, opened by emphasizing the meeting was for information only: "We're not taking action tonight," he said, and asked architects and construction managers to present all project materials before questions. County staff and school leaders outlined projected funding sources and current project phases.

Darlene Fox provided a budget overview for the campus projects, saying Blue Ridge improvements are budgeted at $15,200,000 (about $15,000,000 from debt and $200,000 from sales tax), Fairview at $4,200,000 ($4,000,000 debt, $200,000 sales tax), and the bus garage at $2,000,000 from debt. Fox said Smoky Mountain athletic improvements total $4,243,900 from sales tax, with line items including $450,000 for ball‑field lighting, $1,671,950 for the football stadium and $1,671,009.50 for the track. She also confirmed Smoky Mountain Middle School has a $52,000,000 state grant and an $8,000,000 local sales‑tax match.

Randy Baker of Pinnacle Architect described project scope and phasing. On the Smoky Mountain High School package, Baker said a new eight‑lane track and associated facilities were bid and that a concession/restroom building was included as a bid alternate "and depending on budget ... that will be up to the board whether to accept it or just defer that later on." He and other presenters explained that Blue Ridge is land‑locked with wetlands and limited parking, which makes phased construction and roadwork necessary to preserve daily school operations.

Erin Renwick, who identified herself as a senior project manager for Venoy Construction (the construction‑manager‑at‑risk on the program), and Stephen Boyd, preconstruction manager, said the CMAR approach allows early market pricing and ongoing cost‑checking during design. Boyd said the track bids "ended up coming in about 10% lower" than the earlier estimate, crediting strong market competition and design edits that removed higher‑cost luxury items prior to bidding.

Board members repeatedly raised budget concerns. One member noted that combined project allocations already approached roughly $65 million and asked whether there was a plan to contain costs; Dr. Ayers recommended postponing the bus garage (about $5.8 million) as a first step to preserve funds for student‑facing projects. Presenters cautioned that some site development and owner soft costs are unavoidable early in a phased build and that certain site work may need to occur in the initial stage if a gymnasium is built first.

Presenters also emphasized schedule sensitivity for the middle school: "We've got to have shovels in the ground by August because of the grant that the school received," one presenter said, making the middle‑school schedule a near‑term priority. The Local Government Commission review for the packaged debt was noted (presenters cited an anticipated LGC date in early March for part of the debt package), and the Fairview cafeteria/kitchen bid opening was identified as occurring the following Thursday.

Dr. Ayers closed by noting the project documents would be public and announced a groundbreaking ceremony for the Smoky Mountain High School Track and Field complex scheduled for "February 9 at 01:30"; he asked for patience with weather but said the event would proceed rain or shine. With no further business, the chair sought and received a motion to adjourn, which was seconded and carried.

The boards took no formal votes on project approvals at the session; presenters and staff will return with further cost details, bid results and schedule updates as the projects move through bidding and the Local Government Commission process.