The Union County Commission met with the Union County School Board during the Board's regular October workshop to have an opportunity to ask questions regarding the new middle school. Specifically, commissioners wanted to know if the middle school sports fields are included in the current plan and if the timeline for completing the sports fields would cause a lapse in availability if the jail is constructed on the current middle school football field. The first concern was put to rest before the architects even arrived. Director Greg Clay assured commissioners that the sports fields were in the plan and would be constructed. Chairman Marty Gibbs also echoed Clay's statement. When the architects arrived, they explained that different sketches and preliminary designs of the fields had been reviewed, but the plans that were under consideration never left the fields completely out of the design. There has been some concern by the architects that the amount of money might delay the sports field construction if the bids were higher than anticipated; however, the architects have modified the design to better ensure that the money will be used most efficiently from grading to construction completion. When asked if the sports fields could be constructed first, the architects said it was possible but more costly. Chairman Gibbs pointed out on the architect drawings that the fields surround the school and the access road would need to be completed to allow use of the fields. This process would leave little room for the large construction equipment to work and would make any modifications due to grading almost impossible.

On the second concern regarding a compatible timeline between the completion of construction of the fields and the use of the current football field for the jail construction, the architects said that more would be known after the bids were let next spring. The new school is set to open in August of 2026 and the construction is tentatively planned for completion in late spring of 2026. Commissioner Sidney Jessee, Jr. said that the needs assessment is still incomplete and that assessment would influence the location of the jail. According to Mr. Jessee, the benefit of using the current football field would be saving taxpayers the cost of purchasing property. So the short answer is that the sports fields will be constructed, but whether it is probable the timeline for both the jail and the middle school will be compatible is a work in progress with a possible resolution to come as early as April or as late as the summer of 2024 when grading on the middle school is scheduled to begin. Going forward, the architects will provide Union County Commission a monthly progress report. Both the school board and commission believed the public should be given updates on the middle school project.

The school board continued with their regular agenda regarding contracts, budget amendments, state reports, ESSER funds, calendar changes, and a universal screening for behavior supports. The board approved a contract with Walters State regarding dual enrollment and with auditors, Emert and Hill. Budget amendments including sports field upgrades at UCHS were approved. The ESSER 3 plan, the Compliance Report, and the Accountability Report passed. March 5, 2024, is a professional development day with no students, and April 8, 2024, is a regular school day for students. The universal screening for behavior supports that teachers complete requires parent permission for any student included in the screening as required by a new state law.

The next Board of Education meeting is November 9, at Union County High School.