Groundbreaking held for new LHS campus
By LISA CARNLEY Staff Writer

O'CONNELL ROBERTSON GRAPHIC This is an artist's rendering of what the new Lampasas High School facility will look like after it is ready for occupancy for the 2009-10 school term. Construction is expected to take about 18 months, and the recent ground-breaking ceremony was the kickoff for work now under way.

Dr. Brant Myers, superintendent of the Lampasas Independent School District, is excited.

Just prior to ground-breaking ceremonies Wednesday, Myers expressed his thanks on behalf of the district for the community's support for building a new high school.

"I know this happened quickly," he said of the groundbreaking, "but we wanted this to come before anything else, and the dirt movers are ready to begin."

Myers also said that Wednesday promised to be the best day in terms of the weather, in between cold and rainy conditions earlier in the week and predictions of more of the same as the week progressed.

"There are a lot of people involved in this ceremony," said the superintendent. "There's never a good day for everyone when you try to get so many people together at one time. I expect a good turnout because so many people threw their support behind this."

PHOTO BY BILL McDONALD A number of dignitaries and school district personnel were on hand to turn over the first shovels of dirt at the site of construction for the new high school on U.S. Highway 281 just south of town.

Passage of a $48.85 million bond issue last year made construction of a new 1,600-student campus a reality on 88 acres of donated land south of town on U.S. Highway 281.

And the public had the chance to see the LISD's dreams begin to come to fruition when the first shovel of dirt was turned over with around 100 persons in attendance.

Ranger Excavation of Austin was selected to begin the process of shifting the dirt around to prepare the site for bigger things to come.

All dirt will stay on the site and will be used in other projects, such as fields, said Myers.

Once the dirt work begins, the superintendent said, "the top of the hill is going to change dramatically." Removal of trees at the building site will get under way soon. The work is expected to take three to four weeks, depending on the weather, Myers added.

Bids for the second phase of work, consisting of everything else in the building -- plumbing, electrical, floors, ceilings, roof, walls, windows, masonry -- are being accepted until March 19.

Myers said after bids are awarded that he anticipates work can begin as early as the first of April on the bulk of those projects.

"We're at the point where in order to get the campus ready for the beginning of the 2009-10 school term in August 2009, we have to get started. It is an 18-month project, and we have no time to waste."

The superintendent said he appreciated everyone who supported the district in its efforts to upgrade facilities.

"I'm thankful for anyone who had a part in this. It is one of the biggest things to happen in the Lampasas community in a long time. And it wouldn't have happened if not for a lot of people who went to extreme lengths to see it through."

Said Myers: "This is an important project. It is our children who will benefit the most, and that is how it should be.

"We are all very excited and ready to get going with this."

At Wednesday's ceremony, dignitaries on hand included Mayor Judith Hetherly; City Manager Michael Stoldt; County Judge Wayne Boultinghouse; Blue Ribbon Task Force Committee Chairmen Ron Kuker and Chuck Williamson; co-chairs of the political action committee that campaigned for new facilities, J.W. Hutcherson, Valarie Dickensen and Tina Loeffler; Rick Burnight, the architect from Austin-based O'Connell Robertson; Blair Williams, construction manager at risk; Tom Dahl, representing Texas Department of Transportation; and Charles Pence, donor of the school site.