The Putnam County Board of Education (PCBOE) met briefly on Tuesday to hear updates on the Putnam County Primary School and approve wetland mitigation for the new elementary school.
It was reported last week that Putnam County Primary School (PCPS) had a sinkhole developing beneath its car line road. Several metal pipes were reported as becoming “compromised” over several years, which caused the sinkhole to develop near an exit point beneath the road.
Putnam County Charter School System Superintendent Derick Austin told the board that workers had cleared debris on site to make the pond workable again.
Additionally, Austin said he contacted a civil engineer preparing to have a locator on site to use cameras to examine the underground situation better. Water is already flowing, however, and the area has been cleaned up significantly since last week. He said the erosion should be fixed before the school year starts.
The board also unanimously approved wetland mitigation not to exceed $750,000 for the new elementary school being built on the east side of town. This represents the amount defined in the contract with RaLin Construction, and the approval ensures that mitigation expenses will not exceed the established contract.
The meeting concluded with a brief discussion on Draft 3 of the 2024-25 school-year budget. Minor changes in numbers and additions were made to the draft.
The board expects to receive the digest on Friday so that it can more accurately address the budget during its July meeting.