A familiar design firm was recommended following a recent request for qualifications to refurbish the Macon Middle School track.
According to Macon County Schools Auxiliary Services Director Todd Gibbs during a special Dec. 21 school board meeting, the request for qualifications yielded three design firms: FitFields, GeoServices and LS3P. Gibbs said he sent a rubric and the qualifications to a selection committee, who gave their recommendations. Gibbs said that all but one person recommended LS3P, with that person recommending FitFields.
The recommendation doesn’t include any cost yet; the process is for choosing the most capable designer and working with them on a project. The Macon County Board of Commissioners will make the final decision on a contract.
Refurbishing the dilapidated Macon Middle School track has been bandied around for the last year by both boards. The current track is unsuitable for hosting meets.
Meeting schedule
Also in the Dec. 21 meeting, the board discussed a 2024 meeting schedule. Board member Hilary Wilkes said she didn’t want the schools to try to one-up each other in welcoming the board members and proposed a schedule that would include four meetings at the central office and one each at Nantahala and Highlands schools. The other six meetings would be at the Franklin area schools, with each of those hosting a meeting once every two years. The meeting schedule proposed at the Dec. 21 meeting also omitted its yearly Highlands School meeting.
In September, the school board started hosting meetings at the Franklin area schools instead of the central office.
The board approved its next regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 22, at Iotla Valley Elementary, where staff will present a revised 2024 meeting schedule. That meeting will begin at 6 p.m.
Closed session
The board went into closed session at 1:33 p.m. (the special meeting started at 1 p.m.) and reconvened at 2:35 p.m. to approve the personnel report. After approving the personnel report, Board Chair Jim Breedlove announced the board took no action on the Franklin High School football coach search, and there would not be an announcement until after the first of the year.