The board has discussed the parking lot issue at several recent meetings, and on Tuesday, they were presented with cost estimates for a two-phase project. The first phase would create a parking area with 119 spaces at an estimated cost of $317,837.
Not only would the project create more parking, it would also address an area of the school that is an eyesore.
"This is primarily to keep our facilities up," said Assistant Superintendent for Financial Services Gary Micinski.
Micinski said the parking area and the surrounding rock retaining wall has fallen into disrepair over the past six months to a year, possibly because the ground was dry for so long, and the area has received more rain recently.
The phase 1 plan would not include taking out the retaining wall. The plan would be to keep the parking spaces away from those areas.
Phase 2, which would create 190 more parking spaces, could be an option if the school's November bond issue is passed by voters. The estimated cost of that phase is $768,450, and it would include a plan to remove the retaining wall. The bond package contains money for the repair of retaining walls around the parking area.
In January, the local branch of Weatherford College will begin using a portion of the Support Services Building to hold classes while a permanent facility is built between Decatur and Bridgeport. The college is paying the district just over $250,000 to rent the facility over a two-year period, and the money would be used on the parking lot project.
Money saved on the current elementary school/transportation building project could also be used to fund the parking lot project.
The board decided to seek a guaranteed maximum price for phase 1 of the project and will take action at a future meeting.
