Schools prepare for new schools
By Kathi Keys
Staff Writer, The Courier-Tribune
ASHEBORO - Randolph County Schools are proceeding with developing time
schedules and cost figures for construction of two new future high schools
estimated to cost more than $49 million.
The Randolph County Board of Education was presented Tuesday night with
timelines and cost estimates for a new high school in the northeastern section
of the county and a second new facility in the Archdale-Trinity area.
The northeastern school, with a capacity for 1,000 students, is estimated
to cost nearly $28 million and projected to open for the 2007-08 school
year. The second high school, for 800 students, is estimated to cost more
than $21 million and projected to open for the 2008-09 school year.
Randolph Schools Superintendent Dr. Bob McRae introduced the presentation
by talking about the school district's appreciation for the Randolph County
Board of Commissioners' decision to proceed with both high school projects.
Additional gratitude was expressed for the commissioners using the Certificates
of Participation (COPS) financing method which the school system favored
instead of a bond referendum.
McRae was referring to the commissioners' Jan. 3 decision to rescind
its September decision to hold a $43 million school bond referendum this
spring to provide funding for the county schools' capital project of the
northeastern high school and additional requests from Asheboro City Schools
and Randolph Community College.
Instead, the commissioners decided to prioritize projects, from a countywide
perspective, and provide funds for the top priorities - two new county high
schools through the COPS method from 2006-10.
City school system and RCC funding requests were identified as the third
priority for funding starting in 2010, unless financing opportunities change
prior to that time.
Immediate funding needs, through December this year before COPS money
is available a year from now, total $4.256 million to proceed with the northeastern
school.
"We could start some construction," said Bob Scherer, county
schools' executive director of facilities and construction, although this
year's expenditures primarily cover design fees and land purchase.
School officials are hopeful that a construction contract can be awarded
and the first phase started this fall on site preparation/grading and the
structural steel package. The second phase would begin in January once the
COPS financing is completed.
The school board agreed in December to proceed with an option to purchase
a 100-acre site, known as the York property, on Mack Lineberry Road, near
N.C. 22, for the northeastern school.
Several citizens in that area are opposed to that site. A community awareness
meeting is planned for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Climax Fire Station
on Mack Lineberry Road. A committee has been gathering information about
the site which it will share with others at the meeting, where petitions
will be available. A spokesman for the group, Suzanne Baldwin, is expected
to address the county school board at its next regular meeting scheduled
for Feb. 21.
School officials will be meeting with the architect, LS3P Boney, and
a civil engineer later this week to further review the site before proceeding
with soil borings and other testing.
Additionally, school board members and school officials are scheduled
to visit Nash County Jan. 27 to visit a high school designed by the architects.
A prototype of that facility may be used for Randolph's newest high school.
The school board is expected to further address the Trinity area high
school at its winter retreat being held today at Pinewood Country Club.
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