DATE: Tuesday, August 5, 1997               TAG: 9708050099

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MATTHEW BOWERS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   58 lines

MORE EXPENSIVE BUILDING REQUEST AIMS FOR BIGGER, BETTER FACILITIES

The School Board, a persistent lot, is considering a six-year plan to build and renovate schools that is more expensive than the budget that the City Council rejected as too costly this past spring.

``If we don't ask for what we need, then we're wrong,'' the board's chairman, Mark A. Croston, said Monday at the panel's annual retreat.

The new plan being considered is basically the old plan with everything pushed back a year - and about $14 million more expensive, due to inflation and increased school size.

This proposed increase - to a total of $142.2 million through the 2003-04 school year - comes despite funding already received this year for a new elementary school off Nansemond Parkway, to open in September 1998.

Blame growing enrollment, 5 percent to 7 percent a year, to more than 11,000; too little space, with 91 mobile classrooms in use around the city; and aging buildings, school officials said.

The plan suggested Monday to the School Board calls for $35.3 million in 1998-99 - including $8.2 million for enlarging and renovating Booker T. Washington Elementary School, $21 million for a new 1,200-student middle school, $900,000 in planning money for enlarging and renovating John Yeates Middle School, $4.5 million for planning a new 1,700-student high school, $322,000 for a new roof for Robertson Elementary School, $300,000 for getting rid of hazardous materials at school sites, and $150,000 for getting rid of five old underground storage tanks at elementary schools.

The Washington, Yeates and new middle-school projects need design funds right away if the projects are to be completed by September 2000 as planned. Robertson's roof needs to be done next summer, and the new high school is planned to open by September 2001, officials said.

Other proposed projects include two new 800-student elementary schools, in the north and south sections of Suffolk; enlarging and renovating Driver and Mount Zion elementary schools; a limited renovation of Florence Bowser Elementary School; enlarging and renovating the other two middle schools, Forest Glen and John F. Kennedy; and replacing the roofs of the two high schools, Lakeland and Nansemond River.

School needs may have grown, but city money remains tight. The city's annual financial report shows the amount of new debt the city legally can take on is a little more than $43 million next year - which would leave just $7.7 million for roads, sewers and all other municipal construction needs if the entire school building plan was adopted.

What's the most critical need, School Board Vice Chairman Calvin W. Jones asked.

``A middle school,'' answered Superintendent Joyce H. Trump.

``Followed closely by a high school,'' Assistant Superintendent Milton R. Liverman quickly added.

``And elementary schools,'' chimed in James D. Thorsen, director of facilities and planning.

The School Board will consider a revised building plan - with added estimates for fully renovating some schools not included in Monday's budget - at its regular meeting on Aug. 14. City Council wants the completed school building plan in September. KEYWORDS: SUFFOLK SCHOOL BOARD

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