Lee BOE approves renovations at Lee County High

LEESBURG — The Lee County Board of Education held a called meeting Thursday morning at which board members approved four action items.

The board quickly moved through a consent agenda that consisted of three resignations and one retirement and also approved the hiring of five new employees.

The BOE also approved a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) on Lee County High School renovation work. The board set the upper limit of construction costs for the work at $4 million.

“We are going to put in new ceiling tiles, new flooring and paint the interior of the building,” Assistant Superintendent for Business and Financial Services Gary Kelley said.

System Superintendent Jason Miller told the board the GMP on the high school renovation project is higher that expected because the building also needs a new HVAC unit and fire suppression system installed.

The board later approved letting bids for a new track at Trojan Field and the construction of eight new lighted tennis courts that would be located adjacent to the Board of Education building.

Board member Louis Hatcher, who for years had advocated replacing the track at the stadium and the addition of new tennis courts, was pleased with the decision.

“This is a very good day for the children of Lee County, and a good day for our children is a good day for all of Lee County,” Hatcher said.

Kelley said work on the new track would come with a price tag of $1.972 million, and the new tennis courts would cost $1.82 million. Both of the projects will be funded utilizing SPLOST money.

The board also approved entering into a contract with the Georgia Department of Education to put a new roof on Kinchafoonee Primary School and provide partial funding for the renovation work at Lee County High, with SPLOST allocations accounting for the difference.