One of the major benchmarks for the new Hartselle High School will be reached this Friday when the air conditioning is completed in the school’s classroom area.

Jim Maynard of Martin & Cobey Construction Co., managing contractor for the project, gave a progress report on the new school to the Hartselle Board of Education at its August regular meeting Monday. Once the HVAC is complete, other tasks can be completed inside the structure.

Brickwork is almost finished on the front of the building along with glass. Following that, the columns will be installed. Maynard also mentioned that most of the facility is roofed in and the Heating/Cooling units have been set on top.

Travelers along Bethel Road will also notice the curb and gutter beginning next week. Paving will not occur until September, but the layout will begin to appear and gravel will be poured. Maynard also notified the board that the irrigation wells are not producing enough water to irrigate the property. The system needs 80 gallons per minute to work but one well is only producing 11 gallons per minute. Officials hoped that the underground water would produce enough to irrigate the property without having to tap into Hartselle Utilities water supply.

Maynard also informed the board that a pre-construction meeting on the new field house was held Monday. The contractors have 180 days to complete the project beginning Mon., Aug. 13. Equipment should be moving on site very soon.

In other construction news the board was informed that the roofing project at Crestline was almost complete, with just some painting left to do. At the current high school cafeteria the roofing is in place and the cafeteria is “back in the dry.” There is a small amount of work such as replacing fascia board that needs to be completed there.

Superintendent Dr. Mike Reed mentioned that the architect’s projections of the work to be done to renovate the current high school – converting it to the new Hartselle Junior High – were more than expected and they were sent back to the drawing board.

Reed also reported that J.P. Cain Stadium will be receiving a new scoreboard with Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Decatur working with the Quarterback Club to cover this project. He also asked that the board members thank Mayor Dwight Tankersley and the city council, as well as the Hartselle Public Works Department for their help in solving a drainage problem at Hartselle Junior High. Reed also noted that the board’s new policy manual was now online on the system’s website as well as email addresses of the board members.

The board also acted on the following personnel items:

• Approved leave request for Earon Sheats, teacher at HJHS after all personal and sick leave days are taken.

• Approved the employment of Cindy Hagemann to fill the position of lead teacher at Barkely Bridge.

•Approved the employment of Craig McCarley as custodian

• Approved the employment of Laura Tapscott as bus driver

• approved the following as volunteer coaches for the 2012 football season: James Glenn, Daryn Raley, Wes Chenault, Justin Jones, Daniel Garrett and Dylan Bunnell.