No later than next summer the renovations to Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School and Bamberg-Ehrhardt High Schools should be complete and the fall of 2012 was set as the completion date for the new elementary school to be located on the site at 1980 Main Highway in Bamberg according to the team of building officials, who made their “Design Development Package” presentation Monday night to members of the Bamberg School District One Board of Trustees at their January 24, meeting.

“We see that as a very do-able date, we’re very comfortable with that,” Dale L. Collier CCM and President of Brownstone Construction Group, and the owner’s representative for the construction project said. Collier said his company has “been very busy” getting the team that will handle the construction project together.

He described the “integrated project delivery system” that is being used for the first time in South Carolina that brings the architect, contractor, owner and owner’s representative together as a “unique delivery system.” “We will be working together as a team to make sure there is firm pricing on the schools and making sure the owner is aware of what is in each school. The team is now together,” Collier said.

Ben Thompson, an official with AAG, who will be working on the renovation projects at Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School and Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School said the meeting brought all the stake holders together early in one room “so you are protected.”

After the complete presentation was given Bamberg School District One Trustees gave their unanimous approval to the design development package that must be submitted to the office of school development for its approval.

In highlighting the renovations to Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School, Thompson noted the need to eliminate the Allen Building, which will require the use of portable classrooms during construction and the construction of a firewall. The Allen Building will be replaced with three additional classrooms. In doing the renovations at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School, which was described as “a much larger facility” than the middle school, a decision had to be made as to which scheme would fit best within the budget. It was decided that the kitchen at the high school should be left in its present location, the media center should remain in the back and some adjustments were made to the front of the commons area. Both schools will receive major upgrades in their heating and cooling, electrical and power systems.

As to the new elementary school, it was noted that the Highway 301 site, a main entrance to the city of Bamberg was a “very good site.” Present design development drawings indicate that the school buses will access the campus from the Binnicker Bridge Road side, while the Highway 301 road entrance will be used for cars, which will have “ample stacking space.” It was noted that by law car riders and bus riders must be kept separate. “We feel confident the project can be delivered within the budget allotted,” District One Board members were told.

Also during the public comments portion of the meeting, several members of the B-E Wrestling team and their parents addressed the board members about their desire to have Larry Long reinstated as a volunteer coach: “An excellent resource was taken from the team in Larry Long not being able to coach,” John Hiers a wrestling parent said. Hiers asked the board to allow Long to be involved with Coach Cody Slaughter and the wrestling team.

In addressing the board, Long said he has not done anything to the wrestling program to not be allowed to assist Coach Slaughter with the team. “I ask the board to allow me to go back and help Coach Slaughter build a team that can compete for a championship,” Long said.

After a closed meeting, the board reconvened to open session with board Chairman Dr. Dale Padgett stating that Superintendent Phyllis Schwarting would meet with Larry Long.