MPSD board rejects bids for bond projects
Sep. 20—The construction of a sports complex and much-needed additions to the administration and fine arts buildings on the Meridian High School campus have hit a major snag as the Meridian school board on Monday night rejected all bids for the projects for costing too much.
During the regular monthly board meeting, Meridian's Board of Trustees approved a recommendation made by Director of Operations Clay Sims to reject all bids received on Aug. 24 for the new baseball and softball complex and all bids received on Sept. 12 for the administration and fine arts additions for exceeding the district's budgets for both projects. Sims presented the recommendation on behalf of Gary Bailey of Ridgeland-based Bailey Architecture, which is overseeing the project. Bailey was unable to attend Monday's meeting.
"We received bids on Sept. 12 for the additions to the administration and fine arts at Meridian High School. Unfortunately, the bid that we received on that project was over our budget. So their recommendation is to reject that bid, (and let) the project be redesigned and get it within budget," Sims said.
This would allow Meridian schools to maintain promises made to the community when a school bond issue was passed in August 2022, he said.
When asked, Sims said, the sharp increase in construction and materials costs over the last few years led to the projects coming in over budget.
It was the second time the board has rejected bids on the sports complex, having rejected bids back in May for being too high.
"Again, we had multiple responding bidders on this project, but unfortunately all the bids exceeded our budget for the project," Sims said. "So similarly, it will be redesigned and rebid again to the scope and scale we promised the public."
The construction of a shared baseball and softball complex on the Meridian High campus, along with additions to the fine arts and administration buildings, are part of an improvements package being funded through a $34 million school bond issue approved by city voters in August 2022.
Once completed, the new sports complex will bring both baseball and softball teams to the Meridian High campus for games. For years Wildcats baseball has used Q.V. Sykes Baseball Complex across town for its home games while the Lady Wildcats have used Northeast Park Softball Complex as their home field.
All of the bond issue projects were originally expected to be completed by December 2024.
In other business on Monday, district administrators recognized students, faculty, staff, parents and community residents for all of their work in helping Meridian schools achieve unitary status.
On Sept. 12, U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate approved releasing the Meridian school district from federal supervision stemming from a 1965 desegregation lawsuit and a 2013 order for the district to improve disciplinary practices that disproportionately affected Black students.
Being given unitary status means the district has eliminated vestiges of prior segregation to the extent possible and no longer needs federal supervision. It also removes the court system from supervising the school system's student assignments, school realignments and other decisions.
"I am so proud of our students, our staff and our community as a whole," Superintendent Dr. Amy Carter told a small crowd of teachers, staff, students and parents gathered at Northwest Middle School for the board meeting. "Congratulations to each of you. This is a victory for all of our children."
Board President Sally Gray said it took "many hours of very hard work by lots of people to make this come to fruition. It is a great thing for our community."
Also during the meeting, the school board voted to re-distribute activity funds from Harris Lower, Harris Upper and Oakland Heights schools, since they are no longer being used as elementary schools, to the other schools. The board also approved the district's financial reports, activity funds report and hiring recommendations.
Contact Glenda Sanders at gsanders@themeridianstar.com.
