THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 11, 1997 TAG: 9702110230
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 89 lines
If a proposed school bond package doesn't win voter approval in May, Dare County will face economic ``suicide,'' a spokesperson for a group promoting the $59.5 million initiative said Monday.
``It would mean suicide for the county as a whole - and not just one geographic area,'' said Mary Ames, a Colington Island resident who belongs to the new citizens' group.
``We think a community that does not have excellent schools and isn't responding to advances in curriculum and new technology, it's going to be so far behind,'' Ames said. ``It will change the face of the county. We think this will become a dying county.''
Ames said issues surrounding the school bond package are not beach vs. mainland or one high school vs. two - simply a difference in perspectives.
``We don't feel that this is a situation where two groups are opposed to each other,'' Ames said. ``One (group) feels there are still unanswered questions, while we feel that the questions have been answered.''
Papers released by the pro-bond group point to a series of facilities studies commissioned by the Dare County Board of Education since 1991. Each study recommends that county officials build a new high school north of Oregon Inlet to handle the growing number of beach residents. Some opponents to the bond package want a single high school to serve Roanoke Island and beach students.
While the proposed bond package calls for a second high school to be built north of Oregon Inlet, the Citizens For Responsible School Planning think one school is best. The focus of the issue should be on curriculum and a needed elementary school on Hatteras Island, they say.
``People seem to think that we're against a high school on the beach and that we only want a high school in Manteo,'' said Walter Holton, a member of the group. ``That's not the case.
``We just think there's a better way to provide equal educational opportunities for all the children of the county.''
On the other hand, Ames said: ``Our thrust is that this county needs to fund school construction to a great extent.
``This long process of study and debate has produced a bond package that is comprehensive and addresses the facilities needs as far into the future as the school board prudently could.''
Groups on both sides of the bond issue share worries about system-wide curriculum equality, Ames said.
``We think there are legitimate concerns about curriculum and student populations at the two northern high schools,'' Ames said. ``And such concerns can be addressed if the bond passes because it contains money in it for wiring schools for fiber optics and computer technology that will bring computer capability to all the schools. That will help curriculum,'' Ames said.
``It's our commitment to continue - after the bond is passed - to hold the school board's feet to the fire to generate curriculum offerings not just in the two northern high schools, but on Hatteras as well.''
In the last referendum passed by Dare County voters in 1989 - a $19.75 million package - there wasn't enough money for all the projects included in the bond. Ames said the May package will provide ample money for all the projects it outlines.
``This time, the school board has done several things,'' Ames said. ``It's taken the extraordinary step of providing cost estimates for each of the projects, and has factored for inflation. And it's made a promise to cut back on projects if it falls short of money. All projects will occur. But they will be scaled back if necessary.''
Ames' group says the following projects should get top billing if the May bond package passes:
A new beach high school
Additional elementary and classroom space in Manteo and at beach schools to meet facilities needs through 2006
Renovations to Cape Hatteras School, and an 800-seat auditorium to meet school and community needs on Hatteras Island.
Renovations to Manteo Middle School.
Completion of deferred maintenance projects at all county schools.
Land acquisition for building needs beyond 2006, particularly for pre-kindergarten and elementary schools on Hatteras Island and the northern beaches.
All of these projects are in the bond package.
Ames is confident the bond issue will pass.
``We think the needs are so great for actual physical school facilities, and that the county is so far behind in building schools relative to the county's ability to pay - which is large - we believe the public can easily be persuaded to spend the additional money and have taxes raised to build quality schools,'' Ames said.
With three months until the bond issue goes to voters, acrimony between the differing views is already evident.
The concern is that the hot debate over the referendum may so divide the county that the wounds will never heal.
Holton said: ``There has been a natural rivalry between the beach and the mainland. . . . We need to look at ways to bring our community together, not pull us apart.''