The Trigg County Public Schools Board of Education gave full approval on two key district measures Thursday night, both of which will bring improved quality of life for the community.
The first: a pay raise.
Holly Greene, the district’s chief financial officer, brought forth the recommendation.
The second: a submission of RFP’s construction documents for the BG project slated to remodel and refit the Trigg County Middle School entrance and Trigg County High School Gymnasium.
Director of Operations Matt Ladd, alongside Sherman Carter Barnhart Architect Chris Jones, showcased a base bid package and five alternates that, should estimates come back favorable, could all be implemented at the right price.
Ladd and Jones said the base bid will have the middle school’s canopy, a stretcher-length elevator for the gym, improved bleachers, widen bleacher aisles and added railing, removal of the press box, improved electrical conduit for the gym, and a considerable lift for the lobby and its restrooms. Potential a la carte items, if the bids come back favorable, could include an improved concession stand, improved electrical connection and flooring for the lobby, a new gym entrance feature and an extended lobby, replacement of the flooring and lockers in the two locker rooms, a full repaint of the gym’s inside, and an outside chance at some chair-back seats for select portions of the bleachers.
Both Ladd and Jones did say that a recent wrinkle in the project’s potential construction cost is the possible enforcement of new tariffs under President Donald Trump’s administration — but the project has a chance to be rather expansive.
Ladd said his biggest fear is fall athletic schedules having to be heavily modified, especially with lead times delayed.
Bids will likely be returned in late May, with construction potentially beginning summer 2025.
In other school board news:
+ Calls for board member Charlene Sheehan to resign, or some action to be taken, continued Thursday night at the Trigg County Schools Board of Education meeting, as parents Kevin Hestand, Dawn Pickett, and 2023 Trigg County Honor Graduate Maela Skinner — a sibling of one of the affronted boys in question — all made comments on the matter of March 22.
Hestand:
Pickett:
Skinner:
Sheehan was not present Thursday due to a close personal matter, and therefore could not comment.
However, Board Attorney Jack Lackey clarified that state law used to reprimand, and possibly remove, public school board members actually changed in 2021, under House Bill 331. Local school boards, in fact, do not have the single authority to remove its own members — at least, not without a tendered resignation — and that Sheehan is a publicly elected official, voted in by the public.
Instead, Lackey said concerned parties can take one of two routes: a petition for arbitration and investigation with Kentucky’s Office for Education Accountability, or a direct submission and request from Kentucky’s Office of the Attorney General Russell Coleman.
Coleman, and any future attorney general of the Commonwealth, has the authority to petition local courts to remove school board member for a number of reasons, including but not limited to: engaging in bribery or forgery, influencing school personnel decisions, nepotism, conflicts of interest, moving out of the district, missing three meetings in a row, or not completing required school board training.
Lackey said he has notified concerned parents of this verbiage, which can be found here: 21RS HB 331.
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