“It’s not lost on me that it’s a privilege to be on this board, and it’s a privilege to be selected as the president,” Abbott told board members.

Abbott said when there are discussions among board members, the discussions are done with respect.

“You are all the right kind of difficult to deal with. Your hearts are all in the right places. … I never question what everyone’s number one priority is, and that is students,” he said.

For the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, Abbott said he will be seeking more participation from board members by maybe adding to agendas, reports from board members.

Paul Abbott takes oath of office for president at The Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education meeting. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

He added that board members do attend many trainings that add value to their positions.

“We thought it would be better for us to discuss and talk about the things that we’re learning. We have members on this board who are part of other committees,” Abbott noted.

The board president said sharing some of the members’ specific information with each other and a little bit more with the public was an idea that was presented to him, and Abbott wants to move forward with the process.

“I do think the board functions very well, so I’m always looking to see how we can tweak things to make things better, but I don’t see any major changes,” Abbott said.

The board also approved a change order for $400,000 after hearing a presentation from Young and Wright Architectural concerning an unforeseen condition on the second floor at Jamestown High School.

“This particular issue was a discrepancy between what was on the drawings for the high school, the architectural drawings, not by us, but by the 1930s construction (crews), and what was actually there when they (crews) started pulling it (the floor) up,” Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker said.

Whitaker said the 1930s drawings indicated there was a concrete slab in place, but what crews found was a thin nailing concrete, which also contained a wooden surface.

The change order is for construction crews to make the floors structurally sound, Whitaker said.

The reason for board approval, Whitaker said, was because the change order was for more than $35,000.

Recently, construction crews began the renovation project at JHS, which is part of the second phase of an $86.5 million Capital Improvements Project approved by Jamestown Public Schools district taxpayers in May 2021.

The project focuses on modernizing classrooms and student spaces, enhancing safety, security, and technology, and providing essential maintenance to protect investments.

Whitaker previously said the renovations to the cafeteria, the pool, second floor classrooms, the basement, heating, ventilation and air conditioning units, the auditorium, and a secure vestibule are part of the project.

Whitaker added that there is a contingency plan in place for classroom reassignment, if the floors are not completed by the time school begins in September.