Projected cost of school construction project increases
By TONY FYFFE
BSN Editor
LOUISA – The Lawrence County Board of Education last week approved various documents for construction projects planned in the district and received a thank you from Superintendent Dr. Robbie Fletcher for the community’s support for him and his family following the recent death of his son.
Fletcher began a special meeting of the board last Wednesday, March 9, by saying that the projected cost of one of three construction projects planned in the district put it over budget.
“There is a little bit of an increase in our softball building, but we do have everything ready to go for that and move forward,” Fletcher said.
Later in the session, Remington Bard of Ross Tarrant Architects of Lexington said the price tag for the softball building rose due to the cost of materials. He said the cost of the building rose due to an increase in the price of concrete, noting that the planned facility will be concrete with concrete piers.
“The only way we’re really going to know what it’s going to cost in the end is when we get the bid results,” Bard said via a virtual setup.
Fletcher said the district has a plan if the overage becomes a reality.
“If the bids come in over the six-hundred thousand dollars, this will be money that we’ll have to bond and that will be money bonded out of the general fund,” Fletcher said, adding that carryover funds would also be used for a portion of the cost overrun.
Board members approved various documents for the softball building construction project.
Also during the meeting, Fletcher thanked the board, the community and district staff for their support following the death of his son, Jacob, on Feb. 19.
“I can’t tell you the blessings that have come from something that the devil meant for evil,” Fletcher said. “I’m going to see Jacob Fletcher again some day. I hurt. I hurt, but I will see that young man again. And in that time, there has been so much love that has come through this district, not just for Jacob, not just for my family, but for each other.”
Fletcher recommended training for staff members to help students during times of tragedy.
“We’re going to be more aware,” Fletcher said. “Not just because of what happened with Jacob, but also, too, we had another young man that found himself in harm’s way last night. We had another student, middle school student, that had bad thoughts that we had to help today, and an elementary student that worried about one of their fellow students. How can we help them?
“…Moving forward, one of the things that we need to realize is, we need to train our staff. Our staff members need help; they need help in how to handle when a student comes to them and is hurting. They need to know how to handle it themselves, because it’s tough for them, too. What do you say to a child who comes to you and says, ‘I’m hurting’?”
He said the district will “try our best to work out a training for our teachers, in person,” from the Kentucky Department of Education, Mountain Comprehensive Care Center and Pathways. He said the district’s classified staff also needs the training.