ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 23, 1996 TAG: 9607230085
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Roanoke County must keep its promise to renovate Fort Lewis Elementary School and provide the needed additional money so the project can begin now, leaders in several civic leagues in the western part of the county said Monday night.
"Let's not hold the Fort Lewis children hostage to a study of school needs throughout the county. We don't want the project delayed," Lela Spitz told Supervisor Spike Harrison and County Administrator Elmer Hodge.
Spitz and other civic league leaders want the Board of Supervisors to vote today to provide an additional $1.2million for the Fort Lewis project so the renovation can start.
Robert Crouse, president of the Catawba Coalition of Civic Leagues, said the civic leagues have heard that the supervisors might have misgivings about providing the funds.
"We cannot understand why the board would be willing to incur the wrath of not only the parents directly involved, but all of west county as well," Crouse said. "Such a decision would further add to the feelings of disappointment and distrust that several residents already have toward the government of Roanoke County."
The Fort Lewis project was estimated to cost $1.3 million, but the bid was nearly $2 million. Kitchen equipment, furnishings and other items have pushed the cost to nearly $2.5 million.
The School Board has taken bids on the renovation, and construction can begin immediately if the supervisors provide the money.
Architects have estimated that half of the cost increase is the result of inflation since the original estimate was made several years ago. The rest was caused by an expansion of the project's scope.
Harrison, whose district includes the Fort Lewis school, assured the civic league leaders that he favors the additional money and will vote for it today.
Harrison and Hodge met with the civic league leaders to discuss the school renovation and other issues.
Hodge said some supervisors have suggested that it might be a good idea to refer the Fort Lewis project to the 21-member residents' committee that will help oversee a study of all school needs in the county.
"There is a feeling by some board members that you shouldn't tie the hands of the committee," Hodge said. "Let the committee take a look at the project."
Hodge said some supervisors also question whether the renovated school will be adequate to handle the projected population growth in the Fort Lewis area. "You might need a larger and possibly a new school in the area."
Some supervisors are also concerned that the project will cost almost twice the original estimated.
Hodge said he was suggesting a delay of only a few months at most.
But the civic league leaders said they fear that any delay could jeopardize the project, which has been discussed for nearly a decade.
"Any further deliberation would only add additional cost and delay the project at least another year, and if added to a bond referendum, it may never see the light of day," Crouse said.
Winton Shelor said the Fort Lewis project has a long history of broken promises. "We think this school ought to be repaired now and not tied to any bond issue."
The School Board will also ask the supervisors for an additional $455,000 today for a 22-room expansion at William Byrd High School because the cost of the project has increased from $3.3 million to nearly $3.8 million.
The Fort Lewis and William Byrd projects were planned before the defeat of a $37.4 million school bond issue in April for a new Cave Spring High School and several other projects. Neither project was included in the bond issue because the county had obtained state Literary Fund loans to help pay for them.
The School Board has also asked the supervisors for an additional $500,000 to help pay for the installation of air conditioning and an upgrade of the electrical system at Cave Spring Junior High.
Meanwhile, the county has begun a study of needed improvements at all schools in preparation for another possible bond issue, which would not be held until next year at the earliest.
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