By David A. Farrell, Item Staff Writer
The Picayune Item
POPLARVILLE —
The school board for the Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District has named Lewis Griffin Architecture, Petal, as the project architect on a job that will see a new Hornet baseball field house constructed, said Supt. Carl Merritt.
The step was taken at the school board’s Monday night meeting, during which Griffin appeared and talked to board members about the proposed project. No price tags have been mentioned so far during the discussions.
An athletic field house houses equipment and supplies, dressing and showering facilities for a team.
Discussions about the proposed field house have been underway since it was first broached in August. Griffin will now draw up plans and present them at the next board meeting, at which time the plans will be approved or rejected. If approved, advertisements for project bids will be placed in local newspapers. When the bid is awarded, work will begin shortly thereafter.
School officials would prefer the field house be completed by Spring for this baseball season, but officials said they don’t think there is enough time to have it ready by then.
The school board moved to construct a new field house, after board members were told that the current field house, located beneath the baseball stands, was a health and safety hazard. The baseball field is just north of the football stadium on the high school campus.
Board members were told the current field house is in a low area, which creates drainage problems and causes mold to grow inside the structure because of dampness and humidity. The old structure will be torn down after the new facility is opened.
There was talk of installing a weight room in the facility, but school board members have said that while they want a sturdy, sufficient new structure, it has to be “bare bones” because of budget restrictions.
Board member Samuel Gentry, during earlier discussions on the facility, told fellow board members, “If it’s not a safe environment, then we have got to do something. . .”
On other matters, during the session, the board:
— Approved an English Language Learners’ plan.
— Approved an After-School Learning Center Program handbook.
— Approved a grant for a K-3 Universal Screener in Language Arts-Reading and Mathematics.
— Approved copier service contracts for a Canon 3080 and 1025if copiers with R.J. Young.
— Approved personnel resignations and recommendations.
— Approved a performance bond for a piece of 16th section land, and rejected the sole bid on a timber sale on 16-3-16 because it did not meet minimum requirements.
— Tabled the school board policies Section B school board organization, Section E business management, Section F facility expansion and Section K general public relations, for later discussions.
— Approved the consent agenda: Special services travel contract, disposal of equipment, and approval of the claims docket, payroll, financial statement, activity fund receipts and minutes of the Nov. 12 board meeting.
— Adjourned to Jan. 14.
