Anthony Cloud

Staff Writer

During the Bell County School District’s facilities planning committee meeting, architect Rowland Miller and the committee went over the district facility plan. Several items were addressed during the procedure and the committee decided they would develop a wish list and then prioritise the list at a later date.

A main item the district focused on was secure entry vestibules for Bell Central and Bell High School. Since the schools were built in the 1980s during a time when school security was a smaller problem than it is today, the schools have no vestibules.

Another main topic of discussion was the heating and air conditioning systems at Bell High and Bell Central. Both systems need to be completely replaced or renovated, a pricey job for the system. According to an estimation from Miller, it would cost over $5 million to replace the entire HVAC system at Bell High.

The construction of an extra wing at Yellow Creek was also placed on the district plan. The committee agreed to place six elementary school classrooms to the plan, as well as two pre-school rooms. Originally a larger media center was placed on the facility plan, but the committee agreed to take it off.

Outdoor facility items placed on the district plan were: Renovations to football/soccer/track stadium at the high school, press box, fencing/gates and restroom facilities; and a baseball/tennis complex with a press box, grandstands, restroom facilities and lighting.

The committee also placed a softball complex on the facility plan as well.

Though many things were placed on the facility plan, the committee also agreed to take some items off the plan due to the lack of a need.

Bell County Superintendent Yvonne Gilliam insisted the committee take off the need to construct a new central office facility.

Transportation Director Tom Gambrel also insisted the committee take off the need to construct a new bus garage facility, stating the old one works fine.

All information included in the article is based on a draft facility plan. The final facility plan will not be official until it is submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education.

Anthony Cloud can be reached via email at acloud@civitasmedia.com or by phone at 606-248-1010, ext.208.