Sewer remains as roadblock for new school
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
As details continue to be ironed out over the installation of a sewer system on Mulberry Road, the ground breaking of a new middle school in Barrow County remains on hold.
Barrow County assistant superintendent for facilities, Jake Grant, told superintendent Ron Saunders and BOE members during a work session Tuesday night that it will now likely be fall before ground can be broken on the new middle school.
“It is on hold right now so we can determine the best way for the sewer,” Grant said.
BOE members quizzed Grant on the progress of working out the situation with county officials over the installation of a sewer system, which would allow the project to move forward. The lack of a system has caused the project to be delayed.
One of the primary issues has been who will pay for the installation.
BOE member Mitch Churchill said he didn’t like to see the issue being fought in the newspaper.
“We have worked too long to develop a good relationship with the county,” Churchill said.
Grant said both sides are talking “in good faith” about moving forward.
Also at Tuesday’s work session, which lasted approximately an hour, Grant told BOE members that renovation work at Winder-Barrow High School should be fully complete by the middle of June. In addition, work at Apalachee High School should be finished in approximately the same time frame.
Grant complimented WBHS officials and students for their handling of the massive renovation project which has been ongoing for months.
“It could have been a disaster,” Grant said. “It is very difficult to do something like this with kids on campus.”
The renovations should allow the school system to need less portable classroom than it has used in the past seven years, Grant said.
In other business Tuesday, the BOE:
•was told by assistant superintendent of finance Ken Cato that the fund balance as of June 30, 2008 would be $7,106,447. The estimated fund balance for June 30, 2009 will be $3,078,240. The new budget will be voted on at the June meeting.
•received a recommendation to sign a contract with Mayfield to provide milk for the school system for the upcoming 2008-09 school system and with Colonial to provide bread.
•learned the most recent ELOST check was for $735,442.12.
