Manager to Oversee Career Center Build
WINNSBORO – A vote by the Fairfield County School Board to approve the construction method for the new career and technology center raised questions from one Board member about the hire of a manager to oversee the project.
The Board voted 5-1-1 during their Feb. 18 meeting to approve the Construction Manager at-Risk method for building the new career center, which calls for the District to employ a project manager to oversee the endeavor. The manager position is a classified position, whose hire is at the discretion of the Superintendent, J.R. Green. Andrea Harrison (District 1), who voted against the method, said she was under the impression that the Board, and not the Superintendent, would be selecting a manager for the project.
“We already discussed this, and maybe it was a misunderstanding on my part,” Harrison said on Feb. 18. “I thought we were informed during the Board retreat (in January) that we (the Board) would have the opportunity to choose the construction manager. . . . That authority was taken out of the hands of the Board and that person will be a District employee, not a contracted worker selected by the Board to oversee the funds of this project.”
The project manager, Green said, would be a permanent position, up for renewal each year. Once the project is completed, the Board may then elect not to renew the position for the following year. The manager would act as an intermediary between the District and the builder, Green said, to ensure that the project was progressing in accordance with the District’s wishes. Board Chairwoman Beth Reid (District 7) said the method also opens up the project to local vendors.
“This is a method in which the contractor will be able to use local vendors to handle some of these projects, rather than sending out large bids where we have to take the (lowest) bid,” Reid said. “So the local vendors can get some of the jobs created by this project.”
Green said Tuesday that the position, which carries a salary range of $49,000 – $77,000 a year, was filled late last week. Rick Stottlemyer will assume the duties for the District on Monday. Board member Annie McDaniel (District 4) abstained from the vote.
