CHS Parking Lot Woes Continue

By Dave Freneaux
    With the approval of School Board Members, over the weekend the contractor hired to build a $200,000 asphalt parking lot at CHS substantially completed the lot, constructing it instead out of limestone.  Superintendent Faulk explained, “In preparation to asphalt areas of unsuitable soil were discovered”, giving this as the sole justification for the change from asphalt to limestone.
    The need for the parking lot was created when the School Board opted to allow the contractor building the 9th Grade Academy to use the parking lot next to the construction site as a staging yard for the project.  The construction contract states that the contractor is to "Obtain and pay for use of additional storage or work areas as needed for operations."
    When the motion was made in the Facilities Committee meeting to approve the construction of the asphalt parking lot, School Board Member Will Easley specifically stated, “It is an asphalt parking lot so this is going to become a permanent parking lot.  It is not a temporary deal where you are going to put limestone down and grass is going to grow over it.”
    In response to questions about the change to limestone, no justification was given as to how the $200,000 approval of a paved asphalt lot was allowed to be completed using only limestone without public comment and a School Board vote.
    In that meeting Superintendent Faulk shared that the contractor encouraged the use of asphalt rather than limestone because he felt that the asphalt lot “…was a plan of integrity.  It wasn’t just something that would disintegrate.”  Faulk added that “The staff is recommending that we go with the asphalt parking lot.  It is easier maintenance, it creates less dust, and it is a more permanent fixture.”