A very divided board of commissioners signed off today on the $62.8 million renovation project for Wake Forest-Rolesville High School.
The commissioners agreed to delay the opening of two new elementary schools to help provide a majority of the funding for the renovations. The plan calls for the high school to be emptied out for the 2009-10 school year with students going to the new Heritage High while the campus is renovated.
School leaders said the timing was critical for the renovations while growth had slowed enough among younger students for the new schools not to be needed so soon.
Joe Bryan, chairman of the board of commissioners, had the resolution modified to say that the school board was consciously changing what was in the 2006 bond issue and the CIP by making the request.
But it's that change that helped lead Bryan's three fellow Republicans to oppose the reallocation request.
Commissioner Paul Coble was the most vocal, accusing the school district of "not really telling the whole truth" to voters by altering the 2006 bond issue.
(It could also be noted that the 2006 CIP included funding for year-round conversions that the commissioners refused to turn over.)
There's history behind the two schools being delayed. Garner officials had balked at Bryan Road Elementary out of fears it would have many too many low-income students from Southeast Raleigh. The one in Wake Forest stalled due to problems getting an access road and from firms dropping out of a proposed public-private partnership.
If those schools aren't needed in Garner and Wake Forest, Coble said it should be used in a place that needs the capacity more such as Apex.
Commissioner Tony Gurley questioned going ahead with such a costly renovation project when it wouldn't gain as many new seats as if the money was spent on building a new school.
But Bryan said circumstances had changed since when the 2006 bond issue had been put before voters. While he said he wished the school board had unconverted some schools, he pointed out that wasn't on today's agenda.
The vote was 4-3 with Bryan joining the three Democrats in backing the school board's request. The other three Republicans opposed the request.
Comments
Hi,
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I think he's trying to
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 03:53 — jimmybon0I think he's trying to justify it by terrifying us with what could happen if 'growth issues get out of hand'. Job security, you know. We know one child who was reassigned to five different schools in five years and never moved! This is beyond lunacy!
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Bait & Switch
Tue, 06/17/2008 - 16:01 — Fool Me Once (not verified)One more reason NOT to vote for school bonds. They market it the "needs" one way, then spend it on something completely different. Something the voters that neither the voters that approved or opposed it knew anything about.
To review, the don't manage it wisely, they lie about why they need it, and they spend it on something completely different. Why would anyone give money to anybody that would do that?