School board learns how much Huntsville Elementary playroom will cost
Preen Construction of Knoxville submits a low bid of almost $2.2 million for planned addition at Huntsville Elementary School
HUNTSVILLE | The planned playroom at Huntsville Elementary School will cost just under $2.2 million.
Preen Construction — the Knoxville-based company that built the Scott County Ambulance Service headquarters in Oneida — was the low bidder on the playroom project, with a bid of $2.186 million. Bids were opened by the Scott County Finance Committee on Monday.
That is in line with what the Scott County Board of Education expected the long-awaited playroom to cost. At a meeting last week, Director of Schools Bill Hall said that $1.4 million is already allocated for the playroom, and indicated that around $600,000 out of some $1.5 million the school system hopes to borrow could complete the project.
According to 3rd District school board member Chris Shelton, who represents Huntsville, the playroom design will include a floor that is the same size as Scott High School’s, seating for up to 575 people, an intervention room, a concession stand and restrooms.
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The school system currently has just over $1.4 million in its rural schools fund, an account that is earmarked for capital projects. Up to $800,000 per year is added to that account. According to discussion at the school board meeting last week, the county could borrow $1.575 million and retire the debt within three years using that rural schools funding.
Seventh District school board member Tressa Murphy and 5th District school board member Angela King have objected to borrowing the money, saying the school system should wait until the money is in the bank before moving forward with additional capital projects. However, the school board voted 5-2 last week to approve a capital projects wish list for County Commission’s consideration.
It is County Commission that would ultimately have to approve the loan, although it would be paid for with the rural schools loan with no new tax revenue necessary.
The school system’s list includes projects at all seven schools, including a new video board, flooring, a concrete entrance and fascia replacement at Scott High, converting the old library and cafeteria into tutoring spaces at Robbins, new flooring at Huntsville Elementary, flooring and bleachers at Huntsville Middle, bleachers, sidewalks, playground equipment and fencing, and an outdoor area where the mobile classrooms are currently located at Burchfield, playground equipment at Winfield, and additional parking and outside lighting at Fairview.
That list is expected to be prioritized based on the cost of each project and what’s left after the playroom is fully funded. Hall said at last week’s meeting of the school board that up to $600,000 could be spent to cover the playroom and $900,000 would be left to cover the list of additional projects. Based on the Preen bid returned Monday, that number will be closer to $700,000, with around $800,000 left to cover the list of projects, assuming County Commission and the school board approve the loan.