The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners and
Alleghany County Board of Education held a special meeting on
Present: Chair
Eldon Edwards, Vice-Chair Warren Taylor, Commissioner
Charles Joines called to Board of
Education meeting to order at
Betsy Dillon made a motion to approve
the agenda for this
Chair Eldon Edwards opened the meeting
for the Board of Commissioners at
Commissioner
AGENDA
Alleghany
Special Joint
Meeting
Conference
Room,
I. Call
to Order
II. Moment
of Silence
III. Approval
of Agenda
IV.
Action Items
A.
Unfinished Business
1. Discussion
of School Facilities Planning
B.
New Business
1. Open
Discussion
V. Adjourn
Charles Joines welcomed the
Commissioners and their staff to the Board of Education.
Dr.
Commissioner
Commissioner Warren Taylor and Dr.
Cox talked about the location of the bus garage in relation to the existing
garage.
Chair Eldon Edwards and Dr. Cox
talked about this grading is separate from the
Commissioner
Charles Joines stated that he is
okay with that.
Betsy Dillon stated agreed.
Faron Atwood asked what the monies
have been spent for in the past.
Faron Atwood asked if it would
affect the school’s budget.
Charles Joines stated no, it
wouldn’t. He further stated that the
monies can only be used for capital expenditures. He reiterated that both boards must agree on
how to spend the money.
The Board of Education agreed to use
ADM funds.
Dr. Cox stated that the only thing is if
the ADM funds are used for the bus garage then other capital needs would have
to go to the Board of Commissioners for funding.
Commissioner Ken Richardson commended
Dr. Cox and the Board of Education for their work on reducing the price. He stated the need to make sure the architect
has talked to the Building Inspectors in order to not slow down the permitting
process.
Dr. Cox stated that they will make sure
the Inspections office is fine with these changes.
Commissioner Warren Taylor made a
motion to approve the expenditures as requested. Commissioner
Dr. Cox stated that the bids are
good for 30 days.
Commissioner
Commissioner
Chair Eldon Edwards and County
Manager
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated
that prior discussions about the budget don’t include the bus garage monies.
Commissioner Warren Taylor made a
motion to approve the concept and give the County time to look at the
financing.
Commissioner
Commissioner Warren Taylor agreed.
Commissioner Ken Richardson asked if
this means the Board of Education can go forward on the bus garage project.
The Board of Commissioners agreed.
County Manager
Dr. Cox agreed that it is reasonable to
wait a couple of weeks.
Charles Joines asked if they can start
grading since funding will be in place.
Commissioner
Commissioner Ken Richardson gave
examples of why to not use the fund balance.
The Board voted on the motion on the
floor. Vote 4:0.
Dr. Cox stated that the Commissioners
had asked the Board of Education to look other facilities needs if a middle
school is built. He started explaining
handouts regarding needs assuming a middle school is built at a cost of
$10,434,801 with recurring costs of $579,383 and needs assuming a middle school
isn’t built at a cost of $6,233,102 with recurring costs of $418,247.
John Farrelly explained the personnel
needed for a new middle school, an enhanced program for Kindergarten through 8th
grade and a modified version of the middle school. He explained the ESL and EC program needs and
how they relate to student growth.
Commissioner
John Farrelly stated that currently it
is
Mike Edwards stated that currently it
is
Gary West stated that currently it is
John Farrelly stated that they made the
middle school decision by seeing this is the best choice for the children.
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated his
appreciation for the Board of Education for providing the figures of the
personnel costs and upgrades at all three schools.
Dr. Cox stated that they tried to keep
the number as low as possible and making sure they were taking care of
everything.
John Farrelly stated that it would hurt
the integrity of the middle school program if the recurring costs go below
$579,383.
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated that
the Board of Education has done their job and now it is the Commissioners’ job
to find a way to pay for their proposal.
He further stated that the Commissioners have asked Senator Don East and
Representative Jim Harrell about a land transfer tax for
Chair Eldon Edwards stated that the tax
would have brought in $1,000,000 last year based on real estate sales.
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated that
it isn’t a dead issue but it isn’t possible without legislative support.
Commissioner
Chair Eldon Edwards stated his concern
is if the bond passes the impact that it will do to the debt service.
Commissioner
John Farrelly asked about deciding on
how to fund the recurring costs of $579,383.
County Manager
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated that
must be approved annually by the sitting Board of Commissioners.
Betsy Dillon asked about facility needs
countywide for the county.
Commissioner Ken Richardson talked
about the two excellent presentations, which answered the Commissioners’
questions. He asked the Board of
Education what they recommend.
Charles Joines stated that they
recommend building the full facility at a cost of $10,000,000. He further stated that they have a lot of
concerns about taking a $10,000,000 bond to the public.
Commissioner Ken Richardson asked what
their recommendation is on the recurring costs; $890,000 or $579,383.
Charles Joines stated they will need
the bigger part of the $890,000. He
further stated that $579,383 is the minimum number.
Commissioner Ken Richardson asked if
they can live with $579,383.
Charles Joines stated that the school
can operate with the $579,383. He asked
if that is correct.
John Farrelly stated yes.
Commissioner Ken Richardson stated that
property tax is what we are talking about for the funding and it will be a
significant property tax increase. He
further stated that if any of these options are done the money will come from
the property taxes and the need to tell the public that property taxes will pay
for the schools.
Clarence Crouse and Commissioner
Faron Atwood asked if the increase will
be 16¢ or 12¢.
Commissioner
Chair Eldon Edwards stated that the
bottom line is that taxes will increase.
He talked about people having problems paying their taxes now.
Clarence Crouse talked about building
the middle school in phases in order to provide the funding with current money
that is coming in.
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated that
the County isn’t seeing a substantial increase in growth. He talked about if the taxpayers are willing
to commit, then we can do this; but if they don’t, we can’t. He reiterated the taxpayers need to make the
decision.
Commissioner
Chair Eldon Edwards stated his opinion
that everyone needs to look at something as an alternate to a middle school.
Charles Joines asked about the second
option that was presented tonight.
Chair Eldon Edwards stated that even
with that number there will be a tax increase and what happens if the
referendum fails.
Charles Joines talked about going back
to the drawing board.
Chair Eldon Edwards stated that he
thinks the bond won’t pass and the need to have something that will take care
of the schools for five years. He
further stated that he can’t support a referendum.
Dr. Cox stated that Plan B represents
the schools facility needs.
Commissioner
Mitch Franklin stated that before the
middle school is abandoned, everyone should look at phasing in the middle
school. He further stated the need to
get the kids the best education possible.
He explained that the Elkin city middle school is in modular units but
they are getting their education.
Faron Atwood asked what dollar figure is
everyone looking at.
Commissioner
Commissioner Warren Taylor left the
meeting at
Faron Atwood and Commissioner
Charles Joines stated that he hears the
Board of Commissioners will fund $6,000,000 to get the middle school started.
Faron Atwood stated that doesn’t get a
middle school started.
Clarence Crouse explained that he
thinks if the county doesn’t build a middle school, then the children are
getting short-changed. He talked about
doing more leg work and tonight’s information is a starting point. He further talked about the need for public
support and working together. He
mentioned phased construction to reach the long-term goal. He talked about the valuable information
presented tonight. He stated that he
doesn’t want to see everyone back off of this concept.
Commissioner
Faron Atwood mentioned that they didn’t
recommend Plan B. He stated that the
Commissioners asked for other options, and that is what the Board of Education
did. He asked the Commissioners to give
them a number to work with to get a middle school in the county.
Betsy Dillon talked about phasing it in
gradually.
Dr. Cox talked about needing to know
what a reasonable debt load is for the County and the number that the County
would fund without going to a bond. He
further talked about they are in the dark without having some idea of what is
acceptable to the Commissioners.
Chair Eldon Edwards asked would it take
$6,000,000 to have adequate facilities for the next five years.
Dr. Cox stated that it would be
sufficient for that but it isn’t working towards a middle school.
Charles Joines talked about the need to
work out a package that everyone can live with.
He further talked about the bond is a one-shot deal.
Chair Eldon Edwards asked how the
County could financially support it in phases.
Chair Eldon Edwards asked would the
Local Government Commission have to approve the phases.
Dr. Cox stated that if the
Local Government Commission supports the $10,000,000 then the Commissioners
needs to decide their comfort level. He
further stated that the Board of Education needs to know the comfort level of
the Commissioners for going with a referendum or not going with a referendum.
Commissioner Ken Richardson
stated that he thinks if the Board of Commissioners is unanimous in their
request to the Local Government Commission for a referendum then the Local
Government Commission will support it but if the support isn’t there, they
won’t approve it. He talked about regardless
of the number; it will have a financial impact on the County.
Chair Eldon Edwards stated
that he supports a plan from the Board of Education that will provide
adequately for the schools for the next five years. He further stated that he isn’t against a
middle school but this isn’t the right time.
Commissioner
Faron Atwood talked about
their recommendation is for a middle school.
Dr. Cox and Chair Eldon
Edwards talked about the other plan presented.
Commissioner
Mitch Franklin talked about
looking at a dollar amount then let the Board of Education decide if a middle
school can be built for that number.
Chair Eldon Edwards stated
that he supports the schools if we can do it but this is the worst budget year
in his 12 years as a
Commissioner Ken Richardson
stated that we should not go to the Local Government Commission without a plan.
Chair Eldon Edwards talked
about working with the Board of Education on this issue.
Clarence Crouse stated that
he appreciates the Commissioners’ support of the schools.
Chair Eldon Edwards
adjourned the meeting at
Respectfully Submitted,
Clerk to the Board
Attest:
Eldon Edwards
Chairman