Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 24, 1994                   TAG: 9406290067
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

DOUBTS RAISED ON SCHOOL BOND

Frank Thomas said he doubts there is sufficient time to put together a $20 million bond package for a new high school in the Cave Spring area and a new gymnasium for Northside High School.

Thomas said Thursday night he's not sure that the county can afford to sell bonds now for a new high school in light of other needs, including $15 million that already is needed for repairs.

School officials told the School Board that a new high school would cost at least $17 million and a new gymnasium at Northside would cost $3 million. Superintendent Bayes Wilson said the cost estimates are just figures for discussion and the actual costs could be higher.

A $20 million bond issue would increase the county's bonded-debt payments by $1.7 million a year.

When the Board of Supervisors sees these figures, Thomas said, he questions whether it would want to proceed on a project that might require a tax increase.

Supervisor Bob Johnson has raised the possibility that the county might want to proceed with a new high school rather than spend $5 million on additions and renovations at the Cave Spring High and Junior High schools.

The board had not contemplated building a new high school in the Cave Spring area for eight to 10 years. In the meantime, the board plans to make additions and renovations at the two existing schools. If a new high school is built, the existing high school would become a middle school.

The supervisors asked the School Board to provide financial projections on the impact of selling bonds now to build a new school. The information is to be given to the supervisors next week.

Thomas said the board would like to have a new high school as soon as possible, but that would depend on whether the supervisors can help with more debt.

In the earlier talks with school officials, Johnson focused on a new Cave Spring High School. But school officials have included a new gymnasium for Northside High in the proposed $20 million bond package. They believe that the bond issue must provide funds for projects in different areas of the county to help persuade voters to approve it.

The board voted to proceed with renovations to Cave Spring Junior High and with air-conditioning the building if there is no bond issue this year on a new high school and if other deadlines are not met for a new school.