ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, November 5, 1996 TAG: 9611050066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
The city government and the School Board have worked out a deal that means renovation of Woodrow Wilson Middle School should begin on time next year, council was told Monday.
The city will not loan the school system the $2million it needs to start the project; instead, the city will split the costs with the School Board.
Fears that the Woodrow Wilson project and others behind it might be delayed arose in August, when the school system asked for the loan because it was $2million short of the $7million needed for the project.
The funding problem became apparent after school officials learned in the spring that the city didn't plan to borrow money for the Woodrow Wilson project until January 1998 at the earliest. The school administration, which needs the $7million by early next year, had anticipated the city would borrow the funds in January 1997 via a bond sale.
As it is, city officials won't even put the bond question on the ballot until November 1997, rather than this month as the school administration had expected.
Taxpayers won't ultimately pay any more for the project, because city tax revenues are shared between the schools and general city government coffers, City Finance Director Jim Grisso said.
But the agreement could mean that other projects scheduled in the schools and city might have to be delayed a bit, Grisso said.
Another option was to delay the Woodrow Wilson project and every other major building project behind it for one year.
"My concern all along was that the renovation schedule remain intact," said Councilman Nelson Harris, former chairman of the School Board. "I'm very pleased with the solution."
"Traditionally, [the school system] does one project a year," said Councilman Carroll Swain, who once headed the schools' building program. "I think it's very good that we're keeping on schedule."
The $7million Woodrow Wilson project is expected to begin next summer and end in time for the school to reopen in the fall of 1998. Its students and teachers will be shifted to other middle schools during the renovation.
Renovation of Addison Aerospace Magnet Middle School is expect to begin in the summer of 1998.
Other projects slated include air-conditioning all city schools, adding at least 50 new classrooms to elementary schools, removing asbestos and upgrading computers throughout the school system.
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