Hennessey school superintendent Dr. Mike Woods told the board of education in his monthly report Tuesday night that “the Dome has basically been consuming my life.”

There have been two weekends of class reunions who toured the construction site of the two-story, 33,000 square foot basketball/volleyball facility and “safe room” that’s officially called The Eagle Event Center.

He said he’d even had to take a magnet to get all of the screws out of the parking lot.

“You wouldn’t believe how many there were,” Woods said before updating the timeline to open the facility.

“It will be the first or middle of December before we can move in,” he said Tuesday, and that’s mainly due to delays in getting bleachers and flooring in on schedule.

The original target opening was November, but last month he thought it would be late December. But as in any construction, the completion date is still “fluid” he said.

The first home basketball game is Dec. 10.

Flooding Issues

It will cost $79,494.48 to make flooring repairs at the auditorium (far south entrance, seminar room and hallways) and high school (cafeteria and the below ground former band room), the superintendent said.

The provider is Vector Concepts Inc. and Woods said that company had done other work for the school.

Woods said the school has $50,000 deductible insurance. He is still working with FEMA to reimburse the school for 75 percent for the hours it took employees to clean-up.

He said there are also drainage issues going into the south auditorium area and they’d also have to deal with the shrubs and the current drain on the walkway.

The same carpet that’s used in the The Dome will also be used in the seminar room, he said.

A board member said he didn’t know there would be carpeting in The Dome.

There will be carpeting in the administration offices, coaches offices and meeting rooms, Woods said.

Parking Lots

There is also a drainage problem in the parking lot west of the auditorium, he said. Currently it’s roped off and can’t be used.

Woods said once they deal with the drainage, they will rock it and it will be lighted.

He said parking on Mitchell Road is part of a Phase 3 project and will be worked on next year during the summer break.

Board members present at the meeting were President Patrick Griffin, Vice President Dr. James Matthew Matousek, Clerk Luke Lough and Joe Garrison. Absent was Cristopher Choate.

In addition to Woods, also at the board table was Timberly Jech, office manager.

Other staff in the audience were Angela Avila, mid-high school principal; Matt Means, middle school counselor/assistant principal/coach, and Todd Cameron, computer technician and network administrator.

Also in the audience was Chandra Seiger.