001Right. Um and not necessarily um cuz it was built a long time ago, right? >> That's understood, >> right? It was built a long time ago. So, we're looking at it to where how we can modernize that locker room up to standard, if you will. And um uh we we have some good ideas that we're going to move forward with. Um and we plan on uh bringing in an outstanding gym. >> I agree with I agree with you. Don't Absolutely. They're not dragging their feet. We can get this done expeditiously. Expeditious. So the debt monies used um we want to be good stewards of the money of our taxpayers dollars. That's what I'm saying. >> Absolutely. We do want to make sure that the contractors we get move in an ex expeditious manner and give
002us that high quality standard because not only will our children be using our guests will be using >> 100% correct 100%. >> Thank you Mr. Pierce. Mrs. Tucker. >> So my question is um I'm on the opposite spectrum of Mr. Pierce. So my question is who exactly is benefiting from these trailers being outside? Because I'm I'm going to stop there. Who is benefiting from these trailers going outside? >> Those trailers will be supporting the PE during the day and after school activities. They'll be supporting um uh the after school activity um sports such as JB basketball, boys, girls, varsity basketball, boys, girls, and also the visiting teams that will be coming here. But during the day, they'll be supporting the um the PE classes. >> Can you tell me the last time a PE class
003dressed out where they needed a locker room? >> I'm I'm curious to know. >> I I I can't answer that one >> because from my knowledge, they we don't dress out here and we don't dress out at the middle school. Not yet. I don't know, Mr. Brown. I'm not sure. >> Dress out as in like the last time I checked. And I think >> my kids dressed up when he was here. I can say I don't know. >> I had to put your uniform on. >> So I dressed out when I was here and those locker rooms are in the same condition that they were when I was here. [snorts] So I'm a little hesitant and I'm curious to know where this is coming from now because these locker rooms have been in the same
004condition for over 16 years. >> Absolutely. So [clears throat] to be 100% honest with you uh board member outside looking in me coming here it is my job to um report back to the superintendent what my perspective is right and if it's my job to come here to raise the standard not only of the gym but the auditorium all of these other school buildings um that that's my job to report back and it's unsafe. Um it's It's uh um there's there's work that needs to be done and and we need to get this work done. Um and um I believe that um um we have the opportunity um to get it done and um we should get it done. >> So I I agree our kids deserve the best. I think you know we say
005that often that [clears throat] our kids deserve what we know our kids deserve the best and I agree that you know the work definitely needs to be done. I just I'm on the fence because that's a lot of money for one and there were higher priorities and so now this priority comes in and I'm just going to be completely honest with you and I've already shared it with Mr. Bridgetie. I feel I'm I'm stuck in the middle because I'm looking at where our kids can benefit academically and once again here we go with something else athletic. And so when I hear the naysayers and I hear the people in the community and the parents, our kids aren't going to benefit the one the students, they're not going to benefit from those trailers. Athletically is going
006to benefit from those trailers. So while I know it is going to be passed, I want it to go on record that this is how I feel. I feel like the this money could be used on the academic side versus the athletic side. Um I don't think that it's going to benefit the mass majority of our kids. Some of our kids may not even ever see the inside of their locker room because they don't change their clothes. They don't take showers here. They never had, you know, I want to be I want to be clear with that. I mean, I don't know how else to say it. Um, I just think our kids deserve on both sides. >> I understand, board member. Um, so one thing, these are CIP funds. So the CIP funds can't
007be used on the academic side. These CIP dollars have to be used on capital improvement projects. That's number one. And number two, um um when you say benefit, I need to figure out a way to where I can use funds and get my return of investment as fast as possible in a sense, right? So, for an example, um I need to fix this auditorium. I need to fix this cafeteria. I need to fix some of these schools and HVAC units, but it's going to take a lot of planning. It's going to take a lot of uh things that that we're going to be planning out. So I'm going to be shortly bringing to the operation advisory council my fiveyear master plan how I want to fix everything. So we're going to know in the next
008five years our priority of of what we're going to be doing. So we so for hypothetically speaking I say in year two um I'm going to take care all the Hback units over at Vernon Johns per se or we're going to redo their gym in their locker room or Blakemont or um uh Blandford or whatnot, right? So we're we're master planning but um in the sense of when you say um you believe that only the athletes are going to benefit from that um Peter High outside looking in Petersburg High School is the flagship of the city, right? We're the only high school here. So when you say the athletes, um I heard the the the phrase earlier when visitors come to your home, right? So we're going to have a lot of visitors in a
009sense coming to our home. And as of right now, that gym is our home, right? That's what the outside folks are going to look in. So what I want to do is when I know I'm having visitors, I want to make sure my living room is clean, if you will, right? So, I understand the bedroom and the backyard is a mess, but let me make sure that kitchen and that living room is is presentable. In the meantime, my team and I will be working on uh making sure that we have a 5-year master plan to take care of all of this. And I'm also working with the state as of right now, and I don't want to uh bring that up now, but I do have a plan. It's just not the gym. It's going
010to be a bigger project. And and I think we're going to make Petersburg proud. Um and and um we're going to show and prove exactly what we can do. And um I I believe um what we're going to do in these locker rooms is is it's is is going to give these kids what they need to get. And as you said, are they um changing into gear? Are they taking showers? If we give them the opportunity to have modernized facilities, I guarantee you they will be able to want to um form in their PE clothes and take showers and whatnot. But as of now, they they don't have that opportunity. [clears throat] I definitely appreciate you for clarifying that and clarifying in the sense of where CIP >> Yes, ma'am. >> funds could be allocated
011to. >> Yes, ma'am. >> So, um and and you did make the statement about the auditorium >> Yes, ma'am. >> I just want to throw this out there. Have we looked into getting those teeth fixed yet? >> Absolutely. >> All right. >> I got a brother over there ain't got that fold and show you. >> Okay. you you may have thought all right when you said in the right >> I just I just want to ask but thank you so much for that clarity. Um yeah >> thank you. I appreciate it >> Miss Proctor. >> Yes. What is there emergency around this? The emergency is is that if a child needs to go take a shower right now,