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A pair of building directions for Hickerson and East Coffee Elementary schools to address expected population growth were approved by the Coffee County School Board at their Oct. 13 meeting.

The recommendation given by Director of Schools Scott Hargrove for Hickerson was to build a new four-section school building behind the existing school that was built in the late 1940s and had additions in either the 70s or 80s and another in 1996.

Hargrove noted that the new school building would provide some additional classroom spaces, a much safer flow of traffic in front of the school and a better overall organization for the school.

The estimated cost for the new building would be approximately $35-40 million.

Board member Scott Hansert made a motion with a section by Board member Robert Gilley to replace Hickerson Elementary with a new four-section school located on the same grounds behind the current building.

Board member Freda Jones questioned whether rezoning some other students in the county to Hickerson after the building was completed could be an option for the new school and if a new location was looked into.

Hargrove responded that rezoning is always an option but not a favorable option all the time.

On the topic of rezoning, Board member Jennifer Peacock Hodge remarked that with Hickerson’s 262 students enrolled, she didn’t think there would be a need to rezone anybody as the school will build itself up.

Board Chairman Thomas Ballard noted that what they were voting on was what the Board will take to the County Commission to the Budget to finance.

Board member Beth Yentsch questioned the accuracy of the dollar amount given recalling that that figure given by Wold Architects was for a three-section building and whether they need to have a more accurate figure to take to the Commission.

“The only way you’re going to get that is in the bidding process,” replied Gilley. “You’ve got to approve what you want to do before you can open up the bidding process.”

“What we’re doing is providing direction that we’re going to go to the county and we’re going to talk to them about this and move in that direction,” added Ballard. “Like Mr. Gilley said, this is an architectural estimate, so the bids are going to come in. It could be higher, it could be lower.”

The motion passed 8-1 with Board member Chris Koon casting the sole “no” vote.

For East Coffee Elementary, Hargrove’s recommendation was to continue to improve the school’s infrastructure by adding a new gym, cafeteria, office areas and potential classroom areas.

The cost of Hargroves recommendation would be approximately $18 million.

East Coffee Elementary was built in 1963 with additions in the 1970s, 80s and in 1996 when the latest addition was added. Hargrove noted that the school would remain as a two-section school.

Hansert made a motion with a second by Gilley to make renovations to East Coffee elementary to include a new gym, cafeteria, office space and other miscellaneous renovations.

Hodge asked if the renovations would add a music room to the school and how many classrooms would be added.

Deputy Director of Schools Kelvin Shores explained that they were adding a music room behind the stage in the gym.

Shores also explained, when asked by Board member Holly Matthews, that the school has a dedicated art room, the school nurse has her own dedicated space and the SRO has an office in an old paper closet.

Assistant Principal Lindsey Tucker also confirmed that the school counselor has dedicated space in a classroom at the school.

“I just want to make sure everybody has a place,” said Matthews.

When asked by Hansert, Tucker said the school has “some room to grow.” She also noted that she and Principal Eric Keith liked the presentation that Wold presented for East Coffee.

Koon stated that East Coffee will be only the two-section school in Coffee County and questioned why if the County was going to take on the endeavor they wouldn’t just go ahead and upgrade the school to at least a three-section school.

“In five years, we don’t have to go back and say ‘Hey, we need to add onto this school again,” said Koon. “In the Wold presentation… they had renderings adding extra classrooms in the back for the three-section school.”

“It seems silly to me to do construction without making it bigger. It definitely should be the three-section,” added Hodge in agreement with Koon.

Hargrove added that the additional work would raise the estimate by approximately $4 million.

“But if you do that now, that’s $4 million,” responded Koon. “If you do it in five year, that’s $12 or 15 million… In the long run it will be cheaper.”

Hansert amended his original motion to change it to a three-section school at East Coffee with Gilley agreeing as the second.

The amended motion passed unanimously 9-0.