Completion of the Macon Middle School athletic building project is delayed over a month from its original completion date.
Macon County Schools Administrator Todd Gibbs said the completion date, originally set for Nov. 29, then delayed to Dec. 15 a month ago, is now Jan. 6, the first day of the second semester for MMS.
Gibbs said the delays are due to a trickle of supplies and materials, weather, plus inspection delays at the start of the project, which was half a year ago. Gibbs called these “typical building delays.”
Gibbs said the low-voltage equipment change order approved on Nov. 14 by the Macon County Board Commissioners wasn’t a factor in that date change.
The commissioners approved the $91,000 change order in a 3-2 vote. Commissioners Gary Shields, Danny Antoine and Josh Young voted in favor, while Paul Higdon and John Shearl voted against.
At the Nov. 14 commissioners meeting, Jeff Lee with Novus Architects of Asheville said the construction contract didn’t include a portion of the low-voltage equipment. This would power access card readers; the data, telephone and fiber lines to the main building; the paging intercom system; the burglar/intrusion system and security cameras. The design includes the infrastructure for the installation, Lee said. The $91,000 proposal came from National Communications Inc. on Oct. 26.
Work on the $2.5 million athletics building started in late April. Carolina Specialties Construction of Hendersonville is constructing the building.
Young said the project’s scope changed over the years, going from a wrestling-centric space to more of an instructional space, saying that’s likely the best use of the building.
“I would hate for the building to sit there and only be used two hours out of the day, three months out of the year,” Young said.
Shields said they “just have to bite the bullet and go with it.” County Manager Derek Roland noted that 10% of the project, $250,000, was in contingency, and Lee said Novus only used $20,000 of that so far.
Higdon asked if they discussed the low-voltage equipment. Lee responded, “There may have been a differing of opinion on what was included in our scope of work from the design contract versus what the school believes should have been included.”
Higdon said he represents the taxpayers and said as a contractor himself, he would have to eat the cost himself.
“Nothing personal in any of this…but somebody made a mistake, we don’t know who it was. We need $91,000 for this, I will not be a yes vote to this,” Higdon said. “I’m flabbergasted.”
Shields said that while he doesn’t like the change order, there’s a contingency fund for this situation. Young said he didn’t like it either and that “somebody dropped the ball,” but felt the low voltage equipment would help make the building more usable for the taxpayers.
“Never do you pull the trigger on a project and everything just go perfect, that’s why they have a contingency,” Young said.
Shearl commented that the county could have used the ARPA funds for this project and that it would have saved the taxpayers money.