When discussing the proposed additions to Wolftever Creek Elementary School, Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd said at Wednesday’s meeting, “This one wiped out our budget savings” for two other projects on the agenda.
In 2014, the anticipated budget for the school renovations amounted to $5.2 million. The budget has since jumped to a base bid by J&J Contractors of $7,425,790.
Steve Billingsley serves as the architect.
“The dirt work should have been anticipated two years ago,” CommissionerBoyd said. He asked for an explanation of the 30 percent increase.
According to Justin Witt, director of maintenance and operations of Hamilton County Department of Education, the original budget did not anticipate current economy prices. The budget includes pricing for design, furniture, telecommunications, fixtures, and equipment.
Two areas at the school in need of work were not accounted for in 2014, Mr. Witt said. Furthermore, interior renovations and building on three sides of the school are set to take place. Also, a new road is to be built around part of the school.
Mr. Witt said during the recession the county lost some local contractors. But now that the economy has picked back up, there is less competition and more work. As a result, prices for construction projects changed.
According to County Mayor Jim Coppinger, this price was the lowest of five bids. Commissioners could either take a higher bid or not do the project. “At the end of the day we’re not left with a lot of options,” Mayor Coppinger said.
Hamilton County schools have excess classroom space as it is, said Commissioner Warren Mackey. He questioned why the department of education wanted to build new buildings when it had test scores “in the toilet.” He asked what was more important: raising test scores, or building buildings when there was already an excess of classroom space.
“Somebody’s priorities are not right,” he said.
Mr. Witt stated that officials look at the immediate needs of individual schools. He said Wolftever gained100 students just in the past year.
Regarding these needs, Commissioner Greg Beck said he has been in the dark about what the department of education intends for commissioners to spend money on. He said the board is talking about new construction at Wolftever when there is already a plan to construct a new stadium for Howard.
To show this, he read a petition prepared by the county attorney in 2011. The petition, addressed to the chairman of the board of the Chattanooga Housing Authority, requested a cleared acreage site on the former 2400 block of South Market Street, so the school board could demolish and rebuild Howard School’s football stadium.
According to the petition, the stadium resides next to a creek that was recognized as being contaminated with pollutants for over10n years. Commissioner Beck said Supt. Rick Smith of the Hamilton County Department of Education was the first to sign the petition.
The school board received the deal and the land. However, since that time, nothing has been done to demolish Howard’s stadium and build a new one in a less hazardous place.
“Tell us what you’re going to spend the next few dollars on,” said Commissioner Beck.
The school system has nothing in writing as of now regarding the plan of construction, said Mr. Witt. There have only been internal discussions with the board and superintendent. Wolftever had a 100-student increase this year. The board has a list of facility needs that does include athletic fields. The priority right now is school space, and the immediate plan of action is school additions like the one at Wolftever.
“If your children were playing on a contaminated field, wouldn’t that be your priority?” Commissioner Beck asked. He said the East Ridge Stadium was pushed ahead of Howard’s contaminated stadium. “All I’m asking is that you put something you said you would do at the top of the list.”
According to Commissioner Beck, $4 million out of $390 million have been spent in the last 18 years on District 5, under which Howard School falls.
“That gets to the level of criminal. And I’m going to treat it as criminal…I’m representing a community that seems to be neglected.”
Voting on the Wolftever School additions is scheduled for Jan. 6.