Operations committee: one 2019 bond project flagged amid otherwise positive closeouts and near-complete spending

The Beaufort County School District operations committee heard a construction update that all but one 2019 bond-referendum project are progressing toward closeout, but the Robert Smalls Leadership Academy site remains flagged as a concern after a subcontractor delayed scheduled phased turnover.

A presenter for the district said the program is “still showing 1 yellow traffic light on the 2019 bond referendum projects,” and that the contractor was issued a recovery schedule after missing activity dates. Staff said the recovery schedule is being monitored and that spring break will be a critical week for on-site recovery work to meet the current substantial-completion target of April 23.

Staff highlighted that Bluffton Elementary has moved to closeout status, leaving roughly 30 projects outstanding in the referendum closeout list. Financial reporting through the end of March showed paid expenditures of $313,414,406; staff reported remaining available funds (including contingency) of $2,611,370 and a contingency balance of $947,220, with a contingency-return of $64,615 in March and no contingency used that month.

Committee members and staff described the program as trending toward a “soft landing” as final-cost reconciliations and designer-of-record fee adjustments are completed; those reconciliations may return additional savings to the bond program. Members sought and received assurances that contractor performance issues (the subcontractor that missed site activity dates) are being noted for procurement tracking and future-bid evaluations.

Staff also provided brief updates on 2023 bond projects, including design-progress at May River Elementary and an executed amendment for a temporary entrance at Hilton Head Island High School with substantial completion scheduled for April 21, before students return.

The committee asked staff to continue monitoring the Robert Smalls site and to bring formal updates if the subcontractor does not meet the recovery schedule; staff said they will do so and will notify the committee of any changes to the April 23 milestone.