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BCHS renovations on target; board sees progress
BY CYNTHIA COLEMAN • STAFF WRITER
 | | CCC project manager Craig Lea (center, left) and Dr. David Smith (center right) discuss the changes in the administrative and guidance offices, while Kay Hicklin (l) and Kay May (r) look on. (Recorder photos by Cynthia B. Coleman) |
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WARM SPRINGS - All five school board members walked through the high school Monday evening to inspect the progress of the renovation program.
Led by Construction Control Corp. site superintendent Travis Wolf, supervisors and administrative staff toured the buildings from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Walking with the school board were superintendent Dr. David Smith, director of maintenance Kirby Mottley, and from CCC, Craig Lea, project manager, and Ross Bush, chief operating officer.
The group toured the old gym, the administrative and guidance offices and the Mertz Building. While there were many questions and a few concerns, the overall impression of the renovation to date was positive.
The group expressed interest with the 1954 building's new front entrance, which has a double set of doors. When the group asked about second set of doors, as to whether the doors were to act as an airlock, Wolf told them they were installed for security purposes.
 | | Inspecting the new heating and cooling system on the second floor of the Mertz Building (l-r) are: Dr. David Smith, Kaye May, Kay Hicklin, and Barbara Waldeck, with CCC's Ross Bush looking in through the door. |
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Most appeared impressed by the amount of glass in the reconfigured front office. The room had walls removed and replaced to rearrange the space. With the raised ceiling to nine feet the room will have more light and operate more efficiently. A new window, overlooking the entrance, was installed for security reasons and will have security glass installed.
"There are new counters and all the casework is new," said Smith about the front office. He explained though the office will be painted neutral colors, "the front counter, when you walk in the door, the counter top will have a black speckled finish, but the front panel, all the way to the floor that you will see, is bright orange - the school colors."
 | | Bath County school superintendent inspects the old gym's new ceiling with CCC staff members. Pictured (l-r) are: Dr. David Smith, Ross Bush, Travis Wolf, and Craig Lea. |
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The group was shown the renovations in the Mertz Career and Technical Center. Renovations to the downstairs section of the building were complete and have been available to students since the beginning of the school year. This floor houses three computer labs and the woodworking room. The hallway of this floor had been painted a bright white and the ceiling raised to nearly nine feet to give the space an open and fresh appearance, which pleased the board members.
Board members then toured the second floor of Mertz where renovations are still in progress and will not be completed until the summer of 2008. In the rooms on this floor, the ceilings were exposed, allowing board members to see how the new heating and cooling system was installed.
Stepping outside, the group saw the boiler room, inspecting the three new boilers in tight, dark quarters. Wolf and Mottley explained how the boiler system would work. One boiler would be left on continuously, with the second boiler to kick in during cold weather; the third boiler will serve as a backup. The boilers are heated with oil.
Board members also learned about the cooling and heating system and were shown the metal units to be installed in all the classrooms. During cold weather the system will run water through its pipes, with an additive similar to anti-freeze to prevent the pipes freezing.
During the winter months, the boilers will run heated water through the pipes. A system has been installed to collect the returned air, to remove either the excess heat or cold from the air and add it back to the system, thereby reducing heating and cooling expenses. Wolf pointed out the school board had member Eddie Ryder to thank for that suggestion.
Renovations in the upstairs hallway in Mertz have not begun, though board members studied and asked questions about the waterproof fabric outside the hallway's windows, which overlook a courtyard. Wolf explained the fabric was part of a system to prevent the reoccurring flooding in this section of Mertz. The fabric the board members could see is one section of a three-part waterproof fabric system, which is placed over the existing concrete "sidewalk" running the course of the hallway. The fabric will be laid over the sidewalk, then up and under the lip of the concrete. CCC feels this system will prevent future flooding.
Concern was expressed about the dirt that was backfilled into the Mertz courtyard. The dirt appeared to have settled unevenly, with areas around the hallway's windows sinking below grade level. Smith said more dirt will be added to correct it.
As to the outside appearance of the high school, that which faces U. S. 220, board members were told to expect a whole different appearance by the end of the week. The new windows of both sides of the old building will be replaced. Also, the windows in the old gym have been bricked over and board members were shown the work done there.
The roofing, according to Smith, is on schedule and is expected to be complete by the end of October. There are two separate parts of the roofing project, with one contractor handling it with two crews. "They are making good progress," Smith said.
The entire high school renovation project is intended to be complete by early fall 2008. "The school will be released for occupancy at that time."
The administrative and guidance area will be completed by this coming December or January. As soon as that section is completed, work will begin on the second floor of the 1954 building with a completion date of summer 2008.
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