While an official vote on the matter by the Harrison County Board of Education has now been set for next Tuesday, August 4, and after that approval will be needed by the state, Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin said if all goes as plan students could be entering a new Johnson Elementary School by September of 2018.

 

“First we have to get the official vote and then we have to get approval for state funding from the School Building Authority, but if and when that happens, you’ll see everything getting going as fast as possible to have a new school built,” said Manchin.

 

And once it’s built, Manchin anticipates a much larger and extremely nice building in comparison to what’s currently in place with JES. In fact, he said it will be a multi-million project.

 

“My guess is that we’re looking in excess of $20 million,” said Manchin. “What that entails inside the school has to be determined. At this point, we haven’t even determined a location.”

 

Manchin said the process is a methodical one that began last night with the elected BOE members coming to a consensus that the Johnson project be the next project to hopefully be addressed with funding through the SBA, which will require dollars to be provided by the county in a matching capacity. After August 4, the project application will then need to be done by Oct. 1 and submitted to the SBA.  He said approval or rejection of the application would likely be determined in December.

 

As the process moves forward, there is a nine to 12 month planning period, said Manchin. There will also be the need to have an architectural/engineering firm to do drawings for the project, as well as detailed drawings and documents if the project is approved. He said the construction period – without major weather issues – could have a range of time of 14 to 19 months.

 

“I know that sounds complex, but when you break it all down you envision a start by September of 2018,” said Manchin. “Among the most important parts of the entire process is the planning process where you sit down with teachers, staff, administrators, bus drivers, cooks, parents and the constituency of the school to get an idea of what’s needed. From that input, our own input and the board’s input, the professionals put it all together.”

 

Manchin said he’s going to begin working on the application to the SBA – an agency he once led – immediately. He hopes to condense the information to make it fit the mold the SBA looks for when reviewing projects. Manchin thinks that having funds to help match what they are seeking from the SBA will also bode well in having a successful application.

 

“If the funding is awarded in December, which is the time that is anticipated, the money for projects approved by the SBA would begin flowing after the start of the New Year,” said Manchin. “ … We would be dealing with a number of variables, but I would like to see a groundbreaking event in September of October of 2016.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Dr. Mark Manchin at a past BOE meeting, while bottom photo shows a recently installed HVAC unit on top of Johnson that replaced a long-time failing unit.