EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – With there December meeting moved up a day, tomorrow will see Superintendent Dr. Brian Ridley’s recommendation for the Board to approve a low bid with PlainView LED for a scoreboard to replace the current scoreboard at Pettit Field.

Though this month saw information on both the stadium and a board for the gym, bids are only set to be approved for the stadium as information is still being gathered on the gym such as the engineering specifications and safety checks about the weight that could be supported and if the board can hang from the ceiling or if it needs to remain on the walls.

With eight companies having responded and six of them submitting bids, PlainView LED was both the low bidder and a company that the board has worked with previously. According to the board’s report in the meeting, they also looked at accessibility, customer service, serviceability, and the software involved. Looking ahead at having students operate the video screen on the board that can run instant replays, advertisements, and designs, students will be achieving CTAE skills and helping the school with operation of the board under supervision and reportedly with training from PlainView LED. As such, both the software and the scoreboard are similar to those used in professional stadiums across the country.

The base of the technology is the “the exact same technology that’s in Mercedes-Benz Stadium”

And the board is already looking for more than use on Friday nights. During their presentation several items were mentioned including movie nights, graduation, sports, and gaming competitions as possibilities.

As for graduation specifically, approval tomorrow could see the installation complete by this school year’s graduation in May. Plans have already been discussed to potentially have students working on the software and technology long before the installation completes in order to make full use of the board as soon as it is operational.

The board will incorporate new signage around the main screen while also including an older style miniature board below it to be used as a secondary scoreboard and also for use with operations, sports, and events in need of a board but not the larger screen as the smaller board can also be operated with a modular controller separate from the main screen. The board comes with ongoing updates through the company and can do test runs and scanners over a ten-year period.

With a cost just over $440,000, reports indicated very similar experiences in service, but PlainView LED had a nearly $50,000 price break compared to other close bids.

Though not approved yet, Dr. Ridley did say in Monday night’s meeting that his intent was to recommend approving PlainView LED’s bid and plan for the project at the Board of Education’s Wednesday night Regular Session at 6:00 p.m., December 15, 2021.