Board OKs bid for new band hall

By Stephen Jones
sjones@casscountynow.com

The Atlanta ISD Board of Trustees approved a bid Aug. 23 for the construction of a new, state-of-the-art band hall at Atlanta High School.
Altech Inc., of Texarkana, was awarded the $1.9 million contract for the project. Altech was one of four construction company bids considered by the board.
The band hall will boast a 12,000-square-foot main building, more than three times the size of the current band hall, and the new facility will be located across the street from the high school.
The construction of the new band hall has been subject of much consideration for many years, mostly due to the steady increase of the Atlanta High School Band’s roster and the overall size of their instruments. 
Over the years, trumpets and flutes have been joined by xylophones and other large percussion equipment, eventually leading to the band outgrowing the current band hall. If the band needed to practice together, they would have to rehearse outside or in the gymnasium, which does not have the best acoustics.
Board members said funds for the project are the result of several years of careful savings, and last year’s tax rate increase, from $1.17 to $1.27, is expected to help Atlanta ISD to build its savings back up. Atlanta ISD’s Assistant Superintendent for Finance, Marilyn Cobb, said, “This all would not have been possible without the Atlanta voters’ decision to approve last year’s tax increase.”
As for when the construction is expected to start, “Construction will begin once the contract is signed with Altech,” Superintendent Sidney Harrist said. “We are aiming for late September.”
Even though the future of the current band hall is still uncertain, the building will not be demolished and will most likely be used for storage of high school band equipment or be repurposed entirely.
Other issues on the agenda included actions amending the 2015-2016 budget, adopting the 2016-2017 budget of $21 million and 2016 tax rate of $1.27, which will not increase this year.