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Work on new elementary school in Casey 'going well'

June 14, 2005|BRENDA S. EDWARDS

LIBERTY - The new Jones Park Elementary School may open a couple months earlier than scheduled if construction continues as it has in the past. Work also is progressing on the new Walnut Hill school project.

"Everything is going well" on the Jones Park school, said Mark Cleary, architect for Lucas Schwering Architects in Lexington.

He told the Casey County Board of Education Monday that Jan. 12 is the official date to complete construction on the new school that will consolidate Middleburg and Garrett elementary schools. However, D.W. Wilburn Inc., who is in charge of the project, is pushing for November.

"Everything is going smooth," said Cleary, adding he thinks the job will be finished early since construction is 60 percent complete.

"It really looks beautiful," he said of the building. Workmen were pouring concrete Monday in back of the building where buses will load and unload.

The board approved changes that included placing carpet rather than tile in the music room at the request of the teacher. Cost of the change orders amounted to $3,534.

The board also approved a $381,209 payment to Wilburn, and $105,489 for purchase orders for the school project.

The board also agreed to pay $166,000 to the state Transportation Cabinet for construction of turning lanes off Ky. 70 into the school campus. The board will be reimbursed by the state when the work is finished.

Looking into cost of surveillance system

Cleary also will look into the cost of a surveillance system for the school. The system was cut from the project because of funds, but board member Mike Davis suggested the system be installed because of vandalism.

Superintendent Linda Hatter said she will make application for grants and seek funding from Parent Teachers Organizations to help finance the security system.

Preliminary work on the second new school, known as the Walnut Hill project, also is moving along.

The board accepted an offer of assistance for $6,709,751 in bonds from the state School Facilities Construction Com-mission in Frankfort. The money will be for construction of an elementary school that will consolidate Douglas, Phelps and Phillips elementaries.

The proposed school to be on a 48-acre site off U.S. 127 South will accommodate 600 students from the three schools.

The board also approved a building and grounds plan and a $3,400 proposal from MACTEC Engineering and Consulting Inc., for preliminary geotechnical exploration at the Walnut Hill site.

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