PISD Board hears gymnasium update

The Pittsburg Independent School District school board received an update on the progress of the new competition gym at its June 18 monthly meeting.

Charlie Price of Compass Builders reported to the board that although there have been delays, the project is continuing, and the delays are being addressed.

Price said the metal building’s framework is up and the parts of the frame that will be exposed have been painted. Other miscellaneous steel has been delivered and materials for the plumbing, electrical, and fire sprinkler system have arrived on site and installation has begun. Price said that roof panels will be delivered June 22 and installed along with insulation. The HVAC platform will be erected along with other steel members and the fire suppression system should be completed within the next four weeks.

He also reported that construction of the new Rusk Street pick-up and drop off lanes and parking lot has begun at Pittsburg Elementary School. The underground utilities were located, and the old fence and baseball backstop have been removed. The rough grading of the site has been completed and 570 feet of curbing forms have been laid and concrete is being poured.

At this point, the project is still waiting on the permit from Texas Department of Transportation. Price told The Gazette the permit was already cleared, and that he was just waiting on the agency’s paperwork.

Earlier this month, Camp County Commissioners, as a taxing entity, said they had heard from Brandon Winn with Linebarger, Groggan, Blair and Sampson regarding the sale of property expropriated by the County for delinquent taxes. PISD, as the other taxing authority, heard from Winn at the school board meeting. He explained the options of the sale of the property to the State of Texas for right of way for the Loop 255 project. He said another property was involved, but the details of both were not readily available. He told the board he would return with a full report.

In other business, the board tabled a decision on insurance for Pirate athletes for 2018-2019 school year due to representatives of the company concerned not being present for the board members to question. The board said there were some issues about the proposal that were not clear.

Assistant Superintendent Beth Ann Dunavant reported to the board that they would be very pleased with the results on the STAAR preliminary report. The report is not yet ready. She said she is pulling the statistics together to give the board and the district a better idea of how well students are doing.

The last item on the agenda was to approve or deny a request to waive penalty and interest for delinquent taxes. The Board denied the request.

The board adjourned to closed session permitted by law to consider employment issues.