If work progress continues, the new South Pike Junior High School campus should be finished by the end of February.
Project architect Steve Cox of McComb spoke to South Pike school trustees on Thursday and gave a progress report on the junior high building as well as roof work at the high school.
Cox reminded trustees that Jan. 1 was the project completion date, but much remains to be done.
“They’ve made much better progress,” Cox said, noting that the steel work inside the building is almost complete.
The metal deck for the roof also is complete, he said.
District officials had hoped students would be in the new 16-classroom building by now, but there were problems with the subcontractor concerning steel shop drawings, and that stalled construction work on the $3 million project.
On Thursday, Cox met with Bobby Holland of Owen Holland & Son, the general contractor for the project. Holland told Cox “it will be about six weeks to be substantially complete.”
Cox said crews are “working diligently” to catch up and are making good progress.
As for the high school roof work, Cox said, “The roofing is complete except for the clean-up and yard work. There was some damage to the interior from rainwater, but that has been repaired.”
He said the final inspection will follow when the contractor is finished.
In a related matter, the board agreed to have Cox draw up plans and specifications to replace the roof on Building D at the high school and at the main portion of the older building at Osyka Elementary School.
In other matters, the board:
• Welcomed new board member Sam Hall, who defeated Veronica “Ron” Thomas in the District 5 school board race in November.
However, Thomas, citing irregularities in split voting precincts, has filed documents in Pike County Circuit Court, officially challenging the election.
• Accepted the sole bid of $2,105 from Andrew Williams of Gretna, La., for a hunting and fishing lease of 140 acres of 16th Section land. The bid was slightly above the $15 per-acre price sought by the district.
• Heard a request from trustee John Hilbert that more clearing work be done at the old Eva Gordon Elementary School football field. Trustees asked transportation director Mike Scott to request that clearing be continued in the direction of Cunnigen Street because that uncleared section “sticks out like a sore thumb.” The City of Magnolia plans to put a park in the spot but can’t do so until the site is cleared.
Scott said the county donated time and machinery to clear the land, and the work must be done when county equipment and employees aren’t needed elsewhere. Scott said a final walk-through will indicate what areas remain to be cleared.
• Had a first review of the district’s new proposed school facility rental policy. Revisions include the statement, “Any person or group who uses district facilities for other than school-sponsored activities must pay the fees indicated in the rate schedule. At their discretion, the board of trustees may reduce or waive the base rate for the use of facilities. The user will be required to pay the per-hour use fee for electricity and employees.”
William Ray Brown, who’s heading up the reunion this year for the SPHS class of 1971, complained in December that the district’s fees were exorbitant. And some trustees were under the impression that school reunions were exempt from some of the fees. However, nothing in the existing policy indicates that class reunions are “school-sponsored activities.”
The board will vote on the new policy at its Feb. 3 meeting.
• Accepted donations of $500 from Walmart for the South Pike JROTC program, and $5,000 from Weyerhaeuser for Magnolia Elementary School’s environmental class project.
• Welcomed South Pike High School alumna Crystal Miller Harris as an English teacher at the high school. She is a graduate of Tougaloo College and holds a master’s degree from Belhaven College.
• Approved a request from the high school band to use Grace Lane Leggett Auditorium for a concert on a date yet to be determined this month. Tickets will be $7, with proceeds going toward the purchase of new band uniforms.
• OK’d a new high school chess club, sponsored by Kenneth Evans.
• Elected the Rev. Milton Patterson as board president and Angia Jones-Lee as secretary, effective this month.
