Board approves $148,400 plan to replace Davie County High irrigation system, pending warranty review
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Summary
The Davie County Schools Board unanimously approved a recommendation to replace the irrigation system at Davie County High School at an estimated total cost of $148,400, approving the contract subject to legal review and a written warranty. Trustees stressed the need for durable materials and maintenance arrangements.
At its February 2026 meeting the Davie County Schools Board of Education voted 7–0 to accept a staff recommendation to replace the irrigation system that serves Davie County High School's football, baseball, softball and practice fields.
The board's discussion centered on the system's persistent failures, the procurement process and warranty protections. Ben Beatty, the district presenter, said many zones are inoperable: “on the football field, there's 12 irrigation zones and only 5 of those zones work,” and listed similar failures on the other fields. He told trustees the project would be executed in phases and that “the total cost is a $148,400 for the entire project.”
Why it matters: Trustees said the fields' condition has visible impacts on spring athletics and long-term maintenance costs. Board members pressed staff about alternatives, the district's procurement steps and whether the original installation used lower-spec piping. Chairman Potts asked whether change orders or inferior materials had been used during the original installation; Superintendent Dr. Belcher replied the issue appears to be lower pressure-rated piping and that staff will research the original bid and installation record.
Contract and warranty: District staff said they solicited three vendors; two did not respond and one (Johnson Irrigation) provided a responsive quote. Trustees approved the recommendation subject to "legal review and appropriate statement of warranty," and asked staff to return written warranty language before final appropriation. Staff also said the installer will perform maintenance on an as-billed basis and that the project will use improved piping and dedicated controllers for each field to reduce underground wiring problems.
Next steps: The board approved the motion to proceed 7'0. Staff said the district will bring the appropriation request to the next budget meeting and supply the warranty and contract language for legal review before funds are released.