Following a 3-2 vote, Macon County Board of Commissioners approved funding for the architectural services contract with LS3P Associates for the Highlands School project during their Nov. 8 meeting. On Oct. 18 the board of commissioners authorized County Manager Derek Roland to begin negotiations with LS3 P Associates for the Highlands School project.
The project includes:
• Design for two pre-K classrooms, along with the elementary wing of the school. Each classroom will be approximately 1,200 square feet and include a minimum 2,700 square foot playground directly adjacent to the two new pre-K classrooms.
• Cafeteria and kitchen renovations.
• Expansion of the media center and an outdoor learning/reading area off the media center
• Renovation of maker’s spaces in home economics as well as the wood shop wing.
• Addition of a minimum of four new classrooms in the Middle School building.
The projected budget for the project is $4,703,641, including $329,255 for architectural fees, which is 7% of the overall project budget.
“Architectural fees are split into six different phases,” said Roland. “We have chosen to authorize different phases of the contract.”
Roland said the fees will be paid based on approved phases by the board of commissioners:
$32,295.50 – Schematic Design Phase, 10%
$49,388.25 – Design Development Phase, 15%
$115,239.25 – Construction Documents Phase, 35%
$16,462.75 – Procurement Phase, 5%
$98,776.50 – Construction Phase, 30%
$16,462,75 – Close-out, 5%
“Each element of the project can be taken one at a time, or you can move forward with the entire contract,” said Roland. “The contract gives you the latitude to eat the elephant one bite at a time or all at once.”
The contract allows for each phase to be approved separately by the board of commissioners. After payment in full for any previously approved and completed phase of the contract, Macon County may elect to terminate the contract at any time with no further compensation to LS3P Associates. However, the county needs to appropriate funding for the entire amount of the contract.
Commissioner Ronnie Beale made a motion to authorize all phases of the contract as submitted, contingent upon the Board of Education’s approval of the scope of services, and that $329,255 be allocated from the county’s fund balance for the contract.
“I know it’s necessary,” said Commissioner Josh Young during discussion related to the motion. “Lord knows I’ve struggled with this one. It’s not that I don’t think they need it. I know they need it. I have reservations about allocating that much money, when the swing vote is not running for reelection so I have a hard time tying up that much money before the new board. I would prefer to phase it just so it doesn’t get out of hand. I’d love for the school board to make this one of their top priorities in their capital outlay plan and then you would have my full support.”
Commissioner Paul Higdon agreed with Young.
“It is a worthy project, anything for education,” said Higdon, saying his grandchildren attended pre-K at Iotla. He said the board never heard about this project until six months ago and it wasn’t included in the school board’s capital outlay plan.
“The Board of Education never saw it worthy of ranking in submitting in their capital improvement plan last year,” said Higdon. “All of a sudden, we take it up and it’s gotten into a political, emotional roller coaster along with the high school and that’s not how you legislate or construct budgets, in my opinion. So, I can’t vote for it. It was not a recommendation by the Board of Education and now we’re taking over and making recommendations for that board and that is not our role. With that I will respectfully vote no.”
Higdon said the contract is designed for the sitting board to approve each phase as completed, but he could not vote on the entire project.
“Go back to the Board of Education and start over with prioritization,” said Higdon.
Beale said the school board never includes pre-K classrooms in their capital plans.
“The school [system] doesn’t operate pre-K, although we have rooms for pre-K in several of our schools, so you’ve never seen it on their capital plan,” said Beale. “This plan also includes additional classrooms, which are as important as pre-K.”
Chairman Jim Tate and Commissioner Gary Shields voted in favor of the motion. Tate said he was “100% in favor the project” which takes place in the district he represents and will expand pre-K to families living and working in the Highlands area.
Commissioners Higdon and Young opposed the motion.
Two board members, Beale and Tate, will rotate off the board the end of November. Gary Shields was reelected to his District 2 seat. The new commissioners, John Shearl (District 1) and Danny Antoine (District 2), will be sworn into office on Monday, Dec. 5 with a called meeting to follow. The next regular meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13.