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The
School Board has determined that there is an immediate need
for a new high school and has initiated the process to
prepare for a referendum in accordance with the County’s
Debt Referendum Policy (attached). The School Board further
determined that if the project can proceed without delay,
the new high school can open by August 2007. The Board of
Supervisors previously authorized funding for the design
work for the new high school through 35% completion.
On June 14, 2004, the School Board adopted the attached
Resolution to request that, for the new high school, the
Board of Supervisors waive two requirements in the County’s
Debt Referendum Policy.
The two
requirements the School Board requests be waived are (1) the
authorization which limits expenditures to preliminary
architectural and engineering design work; and (2) the
requirement that the referendum be held coincident with the
general election. The School Board believes that the
general election will detract from the importance of
building a new high school because community forums and
presentations to present the new high school plan compete
with national election politics. By waiving the November
general election requirement, the School Board will be able
to plan for a special Spring election. Voters will benefit
by receiving more complete information on the design and
more time to consider pertinent information needed to make
an educated decision. By waiving the limitation on
preliminary design, the School Board will be able to
continue the design work through completion and maintain the
project schedule. Should the project be delayed following
the election, the design could still be used.
In the
event that the Board of Supervisors decides not to approve
the resolution to waive the expenditure limitation and the
general election requirement, then the Board of Supervisors
is requested to adopt the
attached
resolution
requesting the Circuit Court to order a special election to
hold the referendum. If the Board of Supervisors approves
the resolution requesting the waivers, then the request to
proceed to referendum will be brought before the Board at a
later date.
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Financial Impacts Analysis:
The Registrar’s Office has estimated the cost of a special
election to be $22,100.
A contract for the design of the new high school was
executed in June 2004 with Moseley Architects. The design
work through 35% completion is $735,752. The completed
design cost is $1,491,390.
The preliminary total estimated cost of a new high school
expressed in 2005 dollars is $46,269,093, based on a March
12, 2004 report from McDonough Bolyard Peck Construction
Engineering. With the design work underway, an improved
cost estimate will become available. The School Board has
established a goal to set aside cash in the amount of
$5,500,000, and has requested that the Board of Supervisors
match this amount. Cash funding by both the County and
School Board in the amount of $4,750,168 is available for
the design work and to begin this project. Debt service for
the balance of the project costs would be incurred beginning
in Fiscal Year 2007.
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