School board OKs $140K for Fine Arts Center, lobby

The Oxford High School Fine Arts Center and its lobby will receive some upgrades to their sound and video systems.
During the Jan. 23 school board meeting, officials voted 6-0 to approve approximately $140,000 worth of upgrades.
In an e-mail from district spokesperson Linda Lewis, Scheich Commercial Contracting will be receiving approximately $75,762, while Innovative Communications, will receive $51,654 to complete the work.
A total of $12,584 went towards construction contingency.
Lewis said funding came from the November 2009 voter-approved school bond issue.
Lewis noted upgrades to the sound system, video displays and acoustical treatment were needed in order to make ‘the space more usable and (to) function for small performances, dinner theatre, school district and community meetings both during the day and after hours.?
It was explained during the board meeting that some stretched cloth fabric panels will be placed horizontally in the ceiling, parallel in-between the ceiling beams.
The color of the panels will be off-white in order to blend in with the existing space.
Lewis indicated the panels will be installed to help reduce sound reverberations.
‘There is also some type of panel or material behind the fabric that absorbs sound,? she wrote in the e-mail.
? Staff Writer Andrew Moser