South Pike school board members are reviewing proposals to upgrade classrooms at Eva Gordon, Magnolia and Osyka elementary schools, and the high school.
The district is considering issuing $600,000 in federal Qualified Zone Academy bonds to replace old windows with energy-efficient windows and install new drop ceilings, lighting receptacles and air conditioning.
Jim Young of Young Law Group in Jackson, who is assisting the district in the bond issue, said the loan would be paid back over 12 to 13 years.
The interest-free bonds would come from a $11 billion federal pool and are earmarked help fund school construction, rehabilitation, repair and land acquisition.
Since the funds come from a federal program, they wouldn’t impact the local tax rate, officials said.
In another matter, the district won’t assess any fines from R.K. Wallace construction firm, which completed a district-wide roofing project.
The work passed the school board’s inspection Jan. 10.
District officials said discrepancies in paperwork indicated that R.K. Wallace had missed its contract deadline, allowing the school district to seek some $40,000 in fines.
Board president Sam Hall said since the discrepancy appeared to be a paperwork error and didn’t cost the district any money, he was satisfied with the work.
“It looks like it the work was done on time and that it was just a paperwork thing. It didn’t cost the school anything additional,” he said.
Board member John Hilbert moved that the board not fine the construction company liquidated damages, and the board agreed unanimously.
