The county school board meeting Thursday night began with a request from the design firm Weeks, Ambrose and McDonald to spend $1,995 to update the 2006 survey of the shared campus of Fort Loudoun Middle School and Loudon Elementary - schools that will be consolidated under the building plan - and  ended up with board members questioning their choice to do the architectural work.

Director of Loudon County Schools Wayne Honeycutt said while the original survey did need to be redone before any renovations began "we still don't have our $1million" and he recommended the board wait until the county commission releases the funds before spending any money. 

As the discussion progressed board member Van Shaver said an earlier workshop conducted at Loudon Elementary had been less informative than he hoped.

Shaver said the renovations proposed by the architects went, "beyond what we discussed."

Honeycutt agreed the plans revealed at the workshop included more renovations than the board had requested.

Board member Craig Simon noted despite the architects going on for more than half an hour at the workshop about how much money the school board has spent so far, "they couldn't substantiate those costs."

Honeycutt agreed saying despite the time spent in the workshop and his half hour on the phone with them he still did not have a satisfactory answer about how much as been spent so far.

Board Chairman Leroy Tate said the whole issue had been fraught with miscommunication and he suggested Honeycutt contact the architectural firm and try to get answers to questions about monies spent and if no satisfactory answers were forthcoming he suggested the board consider terminating the contract with the firm.

Board member Bill Marcus suggested Honeycutt make another attempt to get an answer or the board should "move on" and find another firm. The board voted to approve Marcus' suggestion.

Marcus then proposed the board ask Community Tectonics, another firm contracted for the building program, if they would consider reducing their fees. 

He went on to propose that all architectural firms with contracts with the school board be asked if they would be willing to negotiate their current fees. 

He noted with the recession there is a "different atmosphere" than when the contracts were originally signed and now, "everybody is looking for work." 

Board member Gary Ubben said while trying to get a better deal was a good idea it was never a good idea to try to negotiate after the contact is signed. 

He warned the board they should not be unhappy if the firms declined to discuss lowering their fees.

Board member Van Shaver said firms doing business with Blount County Schools have revised their fees downward in light of the economy. The board voted to try to renegotiate.