The board also renewed administrative staff members’ contracts and heard about a possible SPLOST IV.
During its 3-hour meeting Thursday night, the board voted 4-3, with Board Chair Scott Sweeney, Lynnda Eagle and David Banks opposing, to make maintenance renovations at the school but not build the $14.5 million West Cobb Ninth Grade Center at Harrison.
Board member Alison Bartlett, who represents central Cobb, said she was concerned about the number of SPLOST III projects that were coming in over budget, arguing that building a new facility would just add to the district’s already high maintenance costs.
“For me, it’s looking at fiscal responsibility,” she said. “What I would prefer to do is pull out what needs to be done … come back at the end of SPLOST III and see if the money is still there.”
Harrison’s representative on the board, Eagle, was visibly frustrated by the vote.
“To the Harrison community, my disappointment and my apologies for not being able to take this project forward,” she said after the vote. “I’m sorry that my fellow board members did not see its necessity, but that’s how things work.”
Eagle argued that the board must approve the construction because the community approved it as part of the SPLOST III referendum in 2008 and because the school hasn’t had any major renovations in since it was built more than two decades ago.
Members of Harrison’s community, including parent Heather Ryan, told the board how much the center is needed.
“I ask that you approve this and quit neglecting Harrison High School,” Ryan said. “It is time for Harrison to be brought up to all the other schools.”
Because bidding companies had included the ninth-grade center in their proposals, district staff will have to return to the drawing board to separate out the maintenance needs, Sweeney pointed out, adding that it would incur additional costs to the district.
Additionally, re-bidding would delay any future construction or renovations.
The board also renewed contracts for 15 members of Cobb Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa’s administrative staff.
All were approved unanimously, except for Deputy Superintendent Alice Stouder, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Judi Jones, area assistant superintendents Ed Thayer and Angela Huff, and Communications Director Jay Dillon. Angelucci voted against all the renewals, and Bartlett opposed Jones’, Thayer’s and Dillon’s.
Board members discussed the contracts during executive sessions both before and during Thursday’s meeting.
As for SPLOST IV, Hinojosa introduced the idea of another special sales tax to board members Thursday night as part of a “preliminary discussion” to see what funding sources the district would need over the next five to seven years.
Hinojosa asked Deputy Superintendent of Operational Support Chris Ragsdale to come back in April with a list of necessary technology, band, orchestra and athletic projects to see where the district will be as a whole in terms of needs over the next five to seven years.
“What I would like board members to do is have in your mind … funding mechanisms moving forward with those needs,” Sweeney said.
After the meeting, Hinojosa declined to answer questions regarding specifics because the talks are in their infancy, referring to Thursday night’s 10-minute conversation as a “fact-finding session.”
In other business, the board also approved:
* That $20.3 million in SPLOST II funds be declared as excess to buy down the property tax rate from 19.9 mills to 18.9 mills;
* A $1 million contract with Southcore Construction of Kennesaw to renovate Keheley Elementary School;
* A $700,000 contract with American Trailer Haul Inc. of Calhoun and Robcon Inc. of Norcross to relocate 275 portable classrooms between Cobb County school properties;
* A $683,000 contract with T.A. Millsap Construction Inc. of Marietta to renovate Russell Elementary School;
* A $666,875 contract with Cablik Enterprises of Atlanta to renovate Davis Elementary School and McClure and Barber middle schools;
* A $320,000 contract with T.A. Millsap Construction Inc. to renovate Riverside Intermediate School; and
* A $23,000 agreement with Cobb DOT to create a right-of-way in front of Sope Creek Elementary School.
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Bring Harrison up to the level of the other schools?
Clearly, the Harrison parent has never been to Osborne, Pebblebrook, Campbell, or Wheeler. Even with Wheeler's new rebuild, Harrison is still WAY ahead.
Shoot, Walton and Pope aren't even at Harrison's level, as far as facilities go.
If overcrowding is the issue, then redistrict. KMHS and Allatoona can take more students and are REALLY nice facilities.
Maintenance upgrades, sure, no problem. But a new 9th grade center for Harrison? You must be kidding.
Let's see what happens by 2013 with enrollment. If it is needed, it will be built.
Since when should anyone be surprised at things politicians do?
That being said, this is the wisest thing that I have seen the CCSB do in a while. If only the votes could have been found to delay the Wheeler High School project.
All of these new facilities will have to be maintained within a budget that can't take care of what we already have. Why not wait for the economy to turn around a little?
I voted AGAINST SPLOST. I feel the right decision was made to put the 9th grade center on hold. In case you have forgotten, the construction industry is still hurting, a little delay is not going to have costs sky rocketing.
There is room at neighboring schools, perhaps redistricting is a better answer. While not pretty, I think an overall redistricting would be the best way to approach over crowding.
Should "Sam-O" be on the lookout for you?
The paper added the word indefinitely; if you watched the meeting, no one said that it would not be built. But priorities please! It's far more important that our safety and maintenance projects get completed before any new construction. The lesson from the turf is this - do priority items first.
I salute the board for being fiscally responsible even with an unpopular decision.
Thank you Ms Eagle, Mr Sweeney and Mr Banks for the continued support.
The school board has no authority on the matter.
Simply resurfacing the track is not the only fix needed. The drainage around the track must be repaired or any resurfacing will be destroyed in a matter of a couple of years. This work was included in the project.
Please refer to Mr. Clements' and Cobb Parent III's comments below. The project was specifically detailed in the referendum on the SPLOST III ballot. All financial specifications have been met and there is not an option to not go ahead with the project. Someone should investigate whether other projects not specifically listed on the ballot may proceed before this project is started.
Ms. Barlett, Ms. Angelucci, Mr. Morgan and Mr. Stultz: Since voters approved the project and it has to be done - If not now, when?
By postponing the project, you have increased the project costs, you have kept Harrison students in trailers and lengthened, perhaps even postponed until the following summer, the time it will take to repair the worst track in the county.
Bad decision!
I say this to one of the bloggers who accuses Angelucci at looking out for only NCHS, which is in her district. Please note that the improvements to NCHS were approved under a PRIOR area CCSD representatives and NOT under Angelucci. NCHS waited over 20 years to have major work done.
Also, I believe there is a provision in the SPLOST which says if enough funds are not available, then items can be cut or delayed. But I do agree that artificial turf at all high schools should have been lower on the spending scale than buildings.
As to your point, you believe that because NCHS had to wait for its upgrades, other children should suffer?
Again, this project was specifically described on the SPLOST Ballot. The board chose Harrison as the location and the bid was conducted. As has been stated by others, waiting only increases the prices no matter where the facility is built.
This school board sure spends money as if it has an endless supply.
Does the board just want us all to move to Gwinnett so our tax dollars are used more effectively and our votes (SPLOST III) make a difference. It's really interesting that the Turf HAD to be installed because of SPLOST votes, but academic needs (classrooms, unstead of trailers) can't be built even though they were required by SPLOST.
Great priorities as alwats by the CCSB.