Board orders referrals and negotiation after disputed documents stall Jacksboro Elementary gym project

The Campbell County Board of Education voted unanimously to refer the stalled Jacksboro Elementary gymnasium project to the State Comptroller and to the Tennessee Attorney General after a board attorney reported receipt of an unsigned letter that a contractor presented as coming from the project’s architect.

Board attorney Cantrell described the document situation as serious and said that if a forged document is being used to explain the contractor’s delay, that could amount to fraud. "If indeed there is a fake document to explain why the project isn't being completed, it's wrong and fake documents are fraud," Cantrell said during board discussion.

The board approved a motion directing Finance Director Eric Pearson to refer the matter to the State Comptroller's office and Director of Schools Jennifer Fields to forward a referral to Attorney General Jared Effler for criminal investigation if warranted. The motion passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.

Board members also discussed repeated schedule extensions and unresolved completion dates. Director Fields recounted a series of extensions: an original completion date of July 23, 2025, followed by requests moving the completion to August 2, then further extensions into September and October, with the contractor later suggesting January 2026. Chair Jeffrey Miller said, "My patience was growing thin and the students need their gym." The board was told the contractor previously indicated liquidated damages of $500 per day under the contract for missed completion.

At a Nov. 3 special called meeting, members directed Director Fields, Finance Director Pearson, general contractor Gaylor, and Jake Thomas to meet as soon as possible to renegotiate contract terms, obtain a new cost estimate to finish the project, and provide a completion timetable in advance of the Nov. 18 board meeting. The board was warned the investigations may be slow; Cantrell said there was insufficient information yet to determine fault among contractor, architect or others.

Budget and funding figures disclosed in the packet show the original architectural fee and construction budget: architectural fees initially budgeted at about $163,590 with a remaining balance of $22,837.60, and a construction contract of approximately $2,490,000 with a remaining balance reported as $1,687,360.50 in the packet documents.

Next steps: the renegotiation meeting was ordered to occur before the Nov. 18 meeting; the board is pursuing Comptroller and Attorney General referrals while continuing administrative efforts to obtain cost and completion estimates.