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Wayne County Schools support $2 billion bond package
By Barry Merrill
NL Publisher
12 July 2007 — Wayne County Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Taylor tried to “teach a class” Tuesday in an old mobile classroom behind Eastern Wayne Middle School.
The class was about the need for school construction in Wayne County as the county participated in a statewide push for a $2 billion school construction bond issue.
Bills have been introduced in both houses of the state legislature that would put the bond issue before the voters presumably this fall. The purpose of the class was to build media support for the effort.
The bond issue support is a collaborative effort of the NC Association of School Administrators, NC Citizens for Business & Industry, NC Council of Chambers of Commerce, NC School Boards Association, and the Public School Forum of NC.
The group says there are $9.8 billion in state school construction needs in the next five years to replace deteriorating facilities and modular classes. It says the population growth in many counties, along with a 47% increase in school construction costs, have put demands on county budgets which commissioners and school boards can’t keep up with.
The mobile classrooms behind Eastern Wayne Middle are not new classrooms to meet recent growth, but older units that have been behind the school for twenty years, according to School Board Member Rick Pridgen.
As the air conditioner droned in the background, it was at times hard to hear the presentation. School Board Chairman Shirley Sims noted the band instruments in the mobile classroom, and how inappropriate it was to have to practice in a mobile classroom.
Assistant Superintendent Sprunt Hill offered an updated presentation of the school construction needs across the county, which identifies four new schools, as well as significant remodeling and expansion at a number of schools.
The list included a new elementary and middle school in the northern end of the county, and $6.6 million each for projects at Norwayne Middle and Charles B. Aycock High School.
Dr. Taylor estimated that Wayne County would receive $35 million if the bond issue was passed by voters.
Dr. Taylor asked that those present, which included the three newspapers of the county, to contact state legislators in support of the enabling legislation for the bond vote.
Issue of 12 July 2007 Headlines Theresa Cox returns to lead Northwest Stantonsburg police get their man Stantonsburg under water restriction Show your pet some love at the Ice Cream Social and Pet Parade Pikeville burglary arrest made Medicaid costs ramp up Wayne Co,'s budget Wayne Schools support $2 billion bond package Wayne Wilson News Leader Princeton News Leader |
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