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Beaufort County school construction updates: closeouts, contingencies and 2023 referendum progress
Summary
District staff reported progress on 2019 bond closeouts and multiple 2023 referendum projects, including May River Elementary foundation work and May River High CTE renovations; staff also outlined contingency balances and scheduling for next-year summer projects.
A staff member for the Beaufort County school district reported on Nov. 30 that the district is nearing final closeout of projects funded by the 2019 bond and is continuing to reconcile outstanding purchase-order commitments such as weapon-detection systems and AEDs.
"We were at a total of 9 project closeouts remaining," the staff member said, adding that some purchase-order commitments remain to be fulfilled and that staff expect to finish a portion of the closeouts within the week.
On district finances for the 2019 program, the staff member said the district had "paid and committed funds of $374,830,000 with a remaining available funds including the contingency of 883.6 k," and reported contingency activity for November that included savings of $602,800 and uses of $633,600, leaving a contingency balance of about $747,000 at month-end.
The staff member also reviewed the 2023 referendum portfolio. Work at May River Elementary is progressing on site work and foundation walls, and the May River High School CTE addition has completed rivet cutting and will move into interior renovation work that will continue through next summer. Early design pricing reviews for the new early learning center are underway and staff plan another pricing review with the contractor to try to keep that project within the board-approved budget.
Beaufort High School’s CTE addition is on track to have construction documents received this week and to receive pricing in January–February 2026, and Ladys Island Elementary’s replacement work is expected to have 95% construction documents in January for an early release package of long-lead items. The staff member said district-office renovations (including a completed fire-alarm installation in the finance area) and a nearby tech-warehouse project are also in late stages.
Staff noted community outreach activity tied to those projects, including a ribbon-cutting for a JROTC/CTE edition and completed student-assignment meetings that will inform rezoning in advance of the new May River Elementary opening.
The staff member closed by saying the 2023 program is progressing on schedule and that several summer projects will be mobilized next year.
What happens next: staff will return with updated financials and project-pricing information as design packages and construction documents are finalized; the committee did not take formal policy action during this information meeting.
