City school board hears construction update, selects campus renovation firms
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021 — The Bardstown Independent Schools Board of Education received an update Tuesday on the progress of the new elementary school being built on Templin Avenue at Lincoln Way.
A presentation by Sherman Carter Barnhart architects included photos of a solar panel array on the roof the school. When completed, the array will generate up to 30 kilowatts of power to help reduce the school’s energy bills. The power savings the solar panels will provide will cover their cost in approximately six years.
Immediate work is underway on getting all the windows installed. Once the building is weather-tight, finishing work inside can begin.
The board was told that once the building is completed, the new school could be in the top five most energy-efficient school buildings in the state.
The board approved Sherman Carter Barnhart to serve as the architects for the Main Campus Master Plan Renovation services. The firm’s architects also provided an update to the campus master plan renovation services, which covered possible changes to the elementary school building that may also close the drive between the elementary school and the high school, and connect the two buildings. Future changes to the existing elementary building will likely include repurposing parts of the building for new uses.
The board also approved Codell as the construction management firm for the campus renovation work.
In other business, the board:
— approved shortened school days requested for five students
— approved the purchase of two new school buses. The new buses will replace two 2006 models, according to Todd Hood, the district’s director of transportation.
Board chairman Andy Stone asked about the hybrid bus the district purchased several years ago. Hood said that bus needed new batteries at a cost of $35,000. The bus is currently being converted to an all-diesel bus at a cost of $25,000.
With the availability of grants to help defray the cost of diesel buses, its more cost-effective to buy diesel-powered buses, he explained.
NEXT UP. The Bardstown Board of Education next will meet at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021, at the Central Office building on North Fifth Street.
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