By Rose Laudicina
Staff Writer
Despite a shrinking budget, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education voted unanimously last week to approve $2.1 million in funding to jumpstart the construction of elementary school 11.
By providing $2.1 million from the district’s fund balance – basically, the CHCCS savings account – construction of the elementary school can begin as early as March 2012, allowing the school to open its doors by August 2013, and thus helping to prevent increased overcrowding of schools.
The district projects that in the school year 2012-13, the elementary schools will be 101 students over the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) capacity.
SAPFO requires that in order for new residential developments to be approved, adequate school space must be available.
The school board’s decision to provide funding for the new school, however, hangs on the decision of the Orange County Board of Commissioners to commit to reimbursing the board for the funds, in addition to committing to funding the entire project.
Todd LoFrese, assistant superintendent for support services for the district, said that county officials have indicated that the proposal would be on the county commissioners’ Nov. 15 meeting agenda.
LoFrese also said that County Manager Frank Clifton and Clarence Grier, county finance director, plan to propose to the commissioners that bonds for the project should be sold by April 2012, reducing the amount the school board would have to provide from $3 million to the now-proposed $2.1 million.
School board Vice Chair Mia Burroughs said that she was looking forward to working with the commissioners on elementary school 11 and thought that it was a great way for the two boards to work together to meet the needs of the kids in the school district.
“I have great faith in the county commissioners to honor our needs because we all have the same kids and the same constituents,†Burroughs said.