Work on the Hennessey Public Schools’ two-stage drainage and parking projects on the east side of Mitchell Road are still on schedule to start June 1 and will continue into August.

That’s what Hennessey Board of Education members were told by their engineer, Scott Holtzon, in a Wednesday night special meeting.

“Hopefully it won’t drag too long into August,” said board President Luke Lough.

It will take 60 days to finish the drainage work and 75 days to get the light poles and concrete finished, said the engineer, who is president of Holtzon Engineering in Enid.

After he explained the project on a white board and answered questions, Holtzon’s plan was approved. The board also voted to go out for bids as soon as possible.

Lough said the project will not only do away with the drainage issues, but will give the school 60 more parking spaces and lighting on the east side of Mitchell Road.

Board members were emailed a 121-page document on the project before the meeting.

In addition to Lough, other board members at the March 29 meeting were Vice President Patrick Griffi n, Clerk David Tillman and Amy Charmasson. Absent was Dr. James Matthew Matousek.

Staff at the meeting were Superintendent Jason Sternberger and Office Manager Timberly Jech, who was also the minutes clerk.

Cost Went Up

Sternberger said they’d originally estimated the costs at about $900,000, but it could go as high as $1 million, or more.

“But we have the funds,” the superintendent said.

Why Did Plans Change?

Discovery of the town’s six-inch water line on the east side of a ditch on Oklahoma Avenue and Mitchell Road caused one of the changes.

When asked if the school had to submit something to the town, Holtzon said no.

“We have to stay in the school’s right-of-way,” he said and also mentioned “there is a 36-inch pipe across the road from the science building…we can tie the new parking into the science building parking.”

Holtzon said the work would not tear up the street.

The board’s next meeting is noon Monday, April 10. This is a different time from its regular 7 p.m. meetings.