Former board member urges delay on bidding, warns of pool ventilation risk during Elizabeth Forward SD construction update

A construction presenter at the Elizabeth Forward SD board meeting reported that interior work is progressing at the high school — lobby walls are being closed up, doors installed, HVAC units are being commissioned (with some expected online by the end of the month), and work continues on auditorium masonry and low-area roofing. The presenter said staff-requested change orders include new receptacles for the administration office and additional fans for kiln and kitchen/art-wing areas.

Why it matters: The update prompted extended public comment. Linda Bennett, a former board member who identified her prior service on the district board, urged the board to delay any motion related to issuing bid specifications and raised safety concerns about the high-school pool design. Bennett said the pool was originally built with exterior-wall ventilation under a West Virginia University design and warned that ‘‘encapsulating’’ the pool area could create dangerous ventilation consequences if the system is not properly addressed. ‘‘When you encapsulate that, you are destroying the architectural design of that particular building,’’ she said, arguing for more review and community input before moving ahead.

Board procedure and staff reply: During public comment attendees asked whether the board must approve bid specifications before bids are released. A board official replied in the meeting that specifications do not need prior board approval before going out to bid and that the board will approve bidders at the subsequent public meeting following receipt of bids. One board member also stated bids were not on the evening’s agenda.

Budget and prioritization concerns: Another public commenter (identified in the meeting as Mr. Shrove) criticized the phasing and budgeting of the district’s capital work, asserting the district had borrowed about $92,000,000 and raising concern about an alleged large change order that he said did not receive a board vote. He argued the district should prioritize classroom renovations and educational spaces over exterior renovations and a new gym.

What the district presented: The construction presenter confirmed HVAC commissioning is underway, that temporary fan solutions may be used until permanent equipment arrives, and that several staff-requested change orders are included for tonight’s consideration (receptacles, kiln-room fan, and kitchen/art-area fans). The presenter said the permanent kiln fan was a few weeks out but a temporary fan could be installed in the interim.

Next steps: The board moved into the voting portion of the meeting after public comment and proceeded through its consent and committee items by voice vote. Public commenters asked the board to consider delaying bid-related actions until newly elected board members and a community committee could be consulted; the record shows the board proceeded with the normal bid/approval process timeline as described during the meeting.

Sources: Remarks and exchanges in public comment and the district construction update as recorded in the meeting transcript.