Will high school get a new home?
BOE must decide whether to build
By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor

Whether or not to keep construction of a new high school in its five-year Facilities Plan is a question being debated by members of the Jenkins County Board of Education (BOE). The question arose during the Monday, Sept. 17, meeting of the group.

Bill Loudermilk, state facilities consultant, explained that state law requires that each school district develop a new five-year Facilities Plan every five years. The local school system's previous plan included construction of a new high school.

Loudermilk stated that the BOE cannot leave the project in its new Facilities Plan unless it actually intends to build a new high school. The options, he said, are to leave the project in the new plan and start making preparations to get started or remove it and put the old high school back in.

Loudermilk noted that the cost estimate for construction of a new high school was between $10.1 million and $13.1 million, dependent upon construction costs. Currently, $2.4 million in entitlement earnings have accrued that could be used for the project.

Local participation was estimated at $8.2 million. Should the funds be raised through Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) revenue, he explained that it would take 17 years to accumulate the needed local funds, or three SPLOST enactments. Therefore, it would be necessary to use the sale of bonds to raise the money sooner in order to avoid additional inflation costs.

Should the BOE elect to remove the project and put the old high school back in its five-year plan, state funds for renovations to the facility would not be available for approximately 20 years, he said. Loudermilk asked for a decision from the BOE at the group's next meeting.

Superintendent Joan Blackwood reported that the school system had made Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) for the first time in the past five years. She also noted that Jenkins County Elementary School had been named a Title I Distinguished School and congratulated Principal Dr. Judy Holton and staff on the achievement.

OTHER ACTIONS TAKEN

• Approved board policy on extended day/extended year that was placed on the table for review at the previous BOE meeting;

• Approved a motion to allow Chairman Carroll Gay, BOE member Roy Cook and Superintendent Blackwood to negotiate the sale of the old primary school property with potential buyers with the full BOE making the final decision on the matter;

• Approved a Spending Resolution for the month of October;

• Approved club advisors and supplements; and

• Approved several fundraising activities at the Jenkins County Middle School and Jenkins County High School.