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Giles County board discusses phased school renovations, debates roofing costs
Summary
At a board meeting, members debated whether to repair or replace aging school roofs and weighed phased renovations to limit shutdowns; staff estimated contractor quotes at about $45/sq ft while district staff suggested $15–$20/sq ft, and a July work session was scheduled to refine budgets.
The Giles County School Board discussed scope and costs for upcoming school renovations, focusing on roofing at Richland and site drainage at Minor Hill.
The chair framed the meeting around moving the district’s capital program forward, saying a roughly $500,000 allocation would ‘‘get that ship off the ground’’ and allow the board to make approvals on renovation projects. The chair also said the board approved a recent budget amendment to create capacity for these projects.
A staff member, speaking about roof options, described an approach that would place 4-by-8 hard board sheets over existing decking to prevent nails from popping through and then install a new roof on top. "These nails won't pop back up through them," the staff member said, adding the material is "supposed to be hail resistant up to 2 inch, I think." The staff member told the board the contractor's square-foot pricing looked high — the contractor quoted about $45 per square foot, while the staff member estimated a likely cost closer to "$15 and $20 per square foot." The staff member cautioned that reductions in total roofing area — for example, a standing-seam metal gym roof and an already-reroofed wing — would affect final bids.
The staff member also recommended phasing electrical work, such as replacing the main switchgear in stages so single wings could be shut off for work without closing entire buildings. "If they replace the switch gear at Richland, just the switch gear, then they can cut off one wing at a time," the staff member said, noting phased work would avoid full shutdowns of school operations.
On site drainage, the staff member proposed adding branch drains and constructing a concrete ditch between parking lots at Minor Hill with a pedestrian bridge, and said the district needs a civil-engineer estimate before firming costs. The staff member gave a rough estimate that concrete and grading work for the site could be on the order of "$32,000" if the scope is limited.
The board agreed to schedule a work session in late July to refine numbers and determine which school will be next for major renovation. The chair said updated cost breakdowns and bids will be compiled ahead of that session.
Pulaski Elementary, by contrast, is reported ahead of schedule: HVAC and door abatement are complete, fire-alarm and electrical work are on schedule, and painting and floor work are expected to finish by late July; the chair said a ribbon-cutting could be possible this year.
The board’s next steps include the July work session to finalize priorities and seek contractor bids for the phased projects. No final contract awards or construction start dates were approved at the meeting.
