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Board hears progress at Hayes Farm campus and is asked to approve Grail Construction for $16 million in school additions
Summary
Facilities staff showed construction progress at the new Hayes Farm campus, reported projects are on budget, and recommended Grail Construction as construction manager-at-risk for roughly $16 million in additions at East Middle, East Elementary and storage at West Jackson Middle; the board also heard proposals for new stadium video displays, HVAC replacements and other upgrades.
Facilities staff updated the Jackson County Board of Education on April 16 about progress at the Hayes Farm campus and brought a series of recommended projects and procurement actions for board consideration.
Presenters showed photos and milestones from the Hayes Farm elementary, middle and high school construction (slab, structural steel, foundations and auditorium pours) and said the junior ROTC auxiliary building foundation work started over spring break. Staff reported that several in-school maintenance and improvement projects (South Jackson gym cleaning and repainting, parking-lot restriping, Jackson County High dance floor installation and HVAC/lighting work) were completed while students were on break.
On procurement, staff said five firms submitted bids for construction-manager-at-risk work (Carol Daniel Construction, Grail Construction, JCI, Misa and Parish Construction) and recommended the board approve Grail Construction to supervise additions and renovations under an approximately $16 million budget envelope. The proposed scope would add about 10 classrooms at East Middle (plus restrooms and special-education rooms), 16 classrooms at East Elementary (including band-room enlargement and expanded cafeteria), and modest storage at West Jackson Middle.
Staff also proposed two LED video-display scoreboards (one each for Jackson County High and East Jackson High) priced competitively at about $290,000 apiece with 10-year parts-and-labor warranties and described opportunities to recoup some costs via advertising revenue, though officials said anticipated ad revenue is not yet quantified. Board members asked whether advertising proceeds would offset district costs or be left at the school level; staff said the approach is still being worked out and may vary by school.
Other facilities requests included an HVAC replacement plan (energy-recovery unit replacements at East Jackson High and Gum Springs Elementary estimated up to $975,000, with staff arguing earlier replacement will be cheaper than waiting), replacement cafeteria tables at East Jackson High, and a request to code the ROC auxiliary building to an "east-plus" fund line rather than general funds. Staff also proposed a one-time east-plus allocation of $100,000 per high school for band-program improvements and equipment, leaving purchase decisions to each school.
Board members asked detailed questions about schedule, budget contingencies and whether unexpected subsurface rock issues remained; staff said projects are on pace and on budget and that earlier rock challenges at one lunchroom area had been addressed. Several items were presented as recommendations for board approval rather than final approvals recorded in the minutes.
The board did not record final votes on the Grail recommendation or the scoreboard and HVAC proposals during the public portion of the work session; staff asked for board consideration on the Monday regular meeting agenda.
