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Marion board approves construction amendments, time extension for Lake Middle and generator lease for Westport High
Summary
The Marion County School Board approved a 14-day time extension for the new Lake Middle School, architectural and GMP amendments for South Marion High School, HVAC design work and a power/lease amendment to add a 2 MW generator for Westport High; all motions passed by voice vote.
The Marion County School Board approved a series of construction- and facilities-related actions on June 9, including a 14-calendar-day extension for Lake Middle School, design and contract amendments for multiple projects and a long-term lease for a district generator that will support Westport High School as a special-needs shelter.
Deputy superintendent Mr. White House told trustees the Lake Middle School extension is needed because of delays associated with a sand permit and a phase-2 gopher tortoise relocation; the board approved a 14-calendar-day extension that moves substantial-completion and final-completion dates into mid-to-late August and September 2027. Board member Thrower said she was relieved the extension was limited to 14 days rather than a longer delay.
The board also approved an architectural design contract for HVAC upgrades at Belby Middle (project discussed at a dollar figure cited by staff) and approved amendment #3 to architectural and engineering services for the new high school (project 24-105, now identified in the record as South Marion High School) to finish the third-floor buildout and add roughly 700 student stations so the school opens with planned capacity.
Separately, trustees approved an amendment with an energy/utility partner to extend an existing equipment lease through May 31, 2036, and to replace the current generator with a 2-megawatt unit. Staff said the district’s monthly lease payments will total approximately $181,620 for the coming year; board members discussed the generator’s role in allowing Westport High School to operate as a special-needs shelter during hurricanes and asked for clarity on energy-cost offsets.
All construction and contract motions on the agenda passed by voice vote (recorded as "motion passes" with board members saying "I"), and staff were asked to provide contingency- and phasing-details for projects approaching school start dates.
The meeting record lists project identifiers (projects 24-105, 24-116, 24-121 and others) and references board procurement policy language requiring reporting of change orders. Trustees emphasized transparency with the community about phased completion items that could remain unfinished when students return and requested follow-up details to support community conversations.
