School Board Reviews Preliminary Plan For Renovation of Old Marianna High School Facility

“Historical structure is sound and could be put to use,” Schools Facility Manager, Stewart Wiggins. By Sid Riley

At Thursday’s workshop meeting of the Jackson County School Board, Facilities Manager Stewart Wiggins presented a preliminary plan for the renovation and upgrade of the 33,000 sq. ft. old MHS facility. The estimated cost of the project is $3.8 million dollars, which includes $180,000 for the demolition of the old elementary school wing located behind the main facility.

Wiggins stressed that the time is upon the board to make a decision about the aging facility, or the deterioration will accelerate to a level that repairs might be too expensive to consider. He also displayed before and after pictures of a similar remodeling project which was recently completed in Wakulla County.

The board members discussed the need for accomplishing the renovation and saving the facility. Potential uses would be to perhaps entice the County to purchase or lease the facility for a County Administration Building. Another discussed use was to move the School Board Administration into the larger facility, and then work with the City of Marianna to use the existing School Administration Building for City Administration.



Editor’s Note: We are glad to see the School Board considering this course of action. We hope a good course of action can be developed through future negotiations with the County or the City.