Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Superintendent Eddie Peasant gave an update on the Partnership School’s progress during his report to the school board at its meeting on Tuesday.
He said Cademy Construction, the contractor tasked with dirt work on the Partnership School site, was more than 50 days behind schedule, including weather delays.
“We’re working right now to get them to expedite their job, so that West Brothers Construction can move in,” Peasant said.
Peasant said Cademy was being cooperative, and he felt the issues could be reconciled. He said he did not have any updates for the timeframe of the project.
“We feel like although we’ve had lots of rain, there have been some windows of time where we felt like they could have sent a full crew out to make a little more progress than they have done.”
Despite the issues with Cademy, Peasant said primary contractor West Brothers Construction had been able to move some of its equipment to the site. He said there was a possibility of West Brothers being able to start its work at the same time Cademy finishes the dirt work.
“They have a full crew on the site right now,” Peasant said.
While he said Cademy was cooperating with the district, Peasant did express some concern over the potential impact the delay would have on the project.
DAVIS SWORN IN
All five Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board of Trustees seats are filled again with the swearing in of Sumner Davis.
Davis was sworn in by notary public Debbie Scire at the board’s meeting Tuesday evening. Davis was appointed to the board on his third attempt, and was the sole applicant for the seat. He replaces Melissa Luckett, who resigned in February after moving out of the Starkville City Limits, making her ineligible to serve in a city-appointed seat. Davis’ term will run until March 2022.
“It’s exciting,” Davis said. “I’ll be looking forward to working with the rest of my colleagues on the board and school administration. It’s going to be really exciting."
Davis comes from a local government background, serving as department head and government training specialist for the Mississippi State University Extension. He has also represented Ward 1 for two terms on the Starkville Board of Aldermen from 2001 to 2009. He has two children in the district.
The board unanimously voted to accept a 2.01 percent bid from Renasant Bank for the district’s bank depository from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021. Renasant proposes no service charges or fees except for a monthly payroll direct deposit charge.
By another unanimous vote, the board approved a contract between the district and Architectonics architect Thomas C. Stewart for some upcoming renovations at West Elementary.