Board approves Option Two for Morfield floor; bleacher grant and fire-inspection reports also cleared

The Hardy County Board of Education on April 6 approved the vendor-recommended option two for Morfield Elementary’s floor project and accepted fire-safety inspection reports, district staff said.

The decision follows a presentation from a flooring vendor and district facilities staff who described three approaches: building a retroflex wooden subfloor with a maple top, pouring an Ardex concrete cap and installing a Mondo rubber topping (option two, recommended), and a combined retroflex/mondo approach described by staff as overkill. Staff favored option two for cost, schedule and warranty reasons; the board moved and seconded the motion and approved option two despite one member recording opposition.

Superintendent Dr. B provided contract and warranty context, saying vendors would mitigate existing concrete, install a moisture barrier and provide a warranty on the chosen cap. Staff noted the Ardex cap includes a 25-year warranty on the cap material. Board members asked whether future cracking could reappear if expansion joints were missing in the underlying slab; staff said any contractor‑installed failures would fall under the vendor warranty and that warranty details would be clarified before final contract execution.

Separately, district staff described structural and safety problems with bleachers at Morfield High School — large gaps between seats and pads, broken cranks and unsafe step heights — and reported the district has submitted a Small Building Authority (SBA) Major Improvement Project (MIP) application (approximate total project $93,480 with a $10,000 local commitment). A USDA federal grant application is being prepared to match part of the cost; final SBA notification is expected in June.

The board also approved the district’s fire-safety inspection reports after staff said most items were routine corrections (notably exit-sign replacements and removal of one extension cord). The reports were accepted by motion and vote; staff will follow up on exit‑sign inventory and remove unsafe extension-cord uses.

The board expects staff to return contract documents and warranty language for final review before work begins. The approved floor option will move forward to contract negotiations and scheduling.