TYLERTOWN — Walthall County school board members started last week considering renovation and construction projects that can be financed with special federal funding.
The district has a little more than $8 million under the second and third rounds of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding, which is intended to cover costs associated with mitigating the risks of COVID-19.
The district’s architect for such federally funded projects, John Stolarski of the Allred Stolarski firm of Ocean Springs, presented cost estimates for a variety of projects across the district.
The highest priority projects included restroom renovations, especially at Tylertown’s primary and high schools, heating and air conditioning upgrades at every campus and replacement of exterior doors, also at the primary and high school campuses in Tylertown.
While there is an extensive wish list for improvements around the district, including a gymnasium or multipurpose building at Tylertown Primary School, a new classsroom building at Salem Attendance Center and several exterior classrooms at various campuses, the highest priority projects may by themselves outstrip the available funding.
Stolarski estimated the heating and air upgrades could cost upward of $6 million, and restroom renovations at TPS and THS could be close to $2.3 million.
“HVAC is really expensive now,” Stolarski said. “There’s a lot of demand, because all this money is available, and every school district in the country is trying to do these kinds of projects.”
The restrooms are also in dire need of work due to their age, he said.
“”The bathrooms haven’t been touched since they were built,” he said. “They’re not (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, and a lot of the fixtures don’t work.”
Part of the restroom work may involve rerouting sewer lines.
Projects for which Stolarski worked up a cost estimate totaled more than $13 million, not counting outdoor classroom pavilions.
Stolarski said plans are in place already to install new doors at the outside entrances at TPS and THS. The new entrances will have more doors in aluminum frames that won’t rust, and the glass will have industrial glazing.
Board member Linda Metz marveled at the cost of the heating and air updates especially, and asked about the prospects of lowering the cost of the projects.
“I can talk to the engineer, but I can’t promise anything,” Stolarski said.
“We need to cut somewhere,” Metz said. “We’re a few million dollars short.”
The new buildings at TPS and Salem are longshots at being funded for now, as is a project to renovate or demolish and rebuild the gym building at Tylertown Elementary School.
Stolarski said the building is more than 50 years old, which means the Mississippi Department of Archives and History must be consulted before major alterations are made to the property.
Superintendent Wade Carney added that the building was designed by noted architect A. Hays Town, who became known for his residential designs in Louisiana.
