THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 22, 1997 TAG: 9701220387
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 112 lines
In a perfect universe, the Dare County Board of Education would have bushel baskets full of cash to meet facility needs into the next century.
But in the real world, the board has to ask taxpayers to foot the bill. And the nearly $79 million price tag on a consulting firm's recommendations for local school construction means that the school board has some major pruning to do if it expects to harvest votes in a countywide bond referendum later this year.
The seven-member panel began that process Tuesday afternoon in an almost three-hour workshop at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island.
The numbers in the cost estimates put forward Tuesday by Boney Architects of Wilmington won't be the final figures in the construction bond issue, school officials emphasized.
``My caution would be that we are not going to be adopting all of these recommendations and using these numbers,'' Dare County Superintendent Leon Holleman said. ``We can't do all that's recommended in this study at one time.''
The board began establishing priorities for school projects. Topping the list were:
Construction of a second high school north of Oregon Inlet. Factoring in an additional 20 percent for inflation, a new First Flight High School would cost an estimated $23,166,000, based on the Boney report. However, board members expressed reservations about some optional additions to the new school, particularly an additional $3.6 million for a performing arts center, $1.8 million for an auxiliary gym and $5.4 million for a competition pool.
Renovation at Manteo High School. Again counting on inflation, the cost of improving the auditorium, expanding the cafeteria, upgrading science and computer labs and other improvements is almost $4.1 million.
Renovations at Manteo Middle School, at an estimated cost of almost $3.37 million. The Boney study recommends construction of a new 11,000-square-foot gym/band/multipurpose room, and a new 8,000-square-foot media center.
``I almost think we'd be better off to start over,'' Board Member Allen Burrus said of the school.
Renovations at Cape Hatteras School. The Boney report estimates cost of improvements at more than $11.2 million. The proposed project includes a 28,000-square-foot classroom building, a new performing arts auditorium, a new multi-purpose room, and conversion of the existing multi-purpose room to classrooms.
Purchase of additional land on Hatteras Island, Roanoke Island and in the Nags Head/Kill Devil Hills area for future construction of elementary schools. In the original 25-page Boney facilities study, new elementary schools were recommended for those areas.
And finally, the board placed a priority on maintenance plans for all of the county's schools, at an estimated price of just over $7.7 million. At a series of public meetings in December, citizens complained about the poor condition of much of the school district's infrastructure, including the roof at Manteo High School, the band room at Manteo Middle School and the heating and air-conditioning systems at the First Flight schools.
However, despite the priority list, Dare County School Board Chairman Donna Buxton cautioned that there was no guarantee that the items given top billing by the board would be included in the bond issue.
Under state law, the school district must request a specific dollar amount for the bond issue, as well as give specifics on how it plans to use the money.
``This is by no means what is to be included in the bond,'' Buxton said. ``We still have to work it out. But this is a good first step.''
The board overwhelmingly supported factoring in inflation in calculating cost estimates for various projects.
``I would not want to use lower numbers,'' said board member SamTwiford. ``We don't want to have to come back to taxpayers later on and say `Whoops, we need more money.' ''
Board member Loretta Michael said two schools in the system - Manteo High School and First Flight Elementary - have serious overcrowding problems that must be remedied.
``I think there will be some things (in the recommendations) that we don't accept,'' Michael said. ``But we've got two schools where we've got kids hanging out the window, Manteo High School and First Flight Elementary. That certainly needs to be addressed.''
Dare County Commissioners Shirley Hassell, Richard Johnson and Cheryl Byrd attended the meeting, along with County Manager Terry Wheeler and Finance Director David Clawson.
Wheeler said the longer the school board takes to determine the final cost and scope of the bond issue, the more the board of commissioners will be in a bind, particularly if school officials stick to a May 6 date for a bond vote.
To legally call a referendum on that date, the commissioners must adopt a resolution by Feb. 17 authorizing the vote.
``The commissioners are not going to be able to get the information out to the taxpayers, showing them how it's going to affect taxes, unless you're going to give them something you think they'll rubber stamp,'' Wheeler said.
Clawson, using a bond figure of $40 million, has calculated a 9-cent increase in tax rates, simply to pay off the bond. That could vary, however, based on the timing of the bond issue, interest rates and other factors.
The Board of Education plans to continue the workshop Friday at 1 p.m. at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island.
In another development Tuesday, board member Virginia Tillett had to leave the meeting because of a family illness. Her husband, William C. ``Snooks'' Tillett, was rushed to Albemarle Hospital in Elizabeth City with respiratory problems.
Tuesday evening, a family friend said he was resting comfortably. ILLUSTRATION: SCHOOL PROJECTS
The board began establishing priorities for school projects. Among
the projects were:
Construction of a second high school north of Oregon Inlet.
Renovation at Manteo High School.
Renovations at Manteo Middle School, at an estimated cost of almost
$3.37 million.
Renovations at Cape Hatteras School.
Purchase of additional land on Hatteras Island, Roanoke Island and
in the Nags Head/Kill Devil Hills area for future construction of
new elementary schools.
The board placed a priority on maintenance plans for all of the
county's schools, at an estimated price of just over $7.7 million.