Committee gives nod to building school in Centertown
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A resolution committing the county to take out bonds no later than August 2005 was passed by the commission’s Education Committee Tuesday night. It now heads to the Budget and Finance Committee before making its way to the full county commission during its Aug. 15 meeting.
“The county commission told us, ‘If you want a new school at Centertown get the sales tax increase passed,’ and we got it passed. They should now feel an obligation to do something,” said Centertown Elementary teacher Regina Woodlee, one of many Centertown teachers and community members on hand for the meeting.
Education Committee chairman Bill Zechman agreed with Woodlee and others, saying while the commission never made any specific promises, commissioners did “morally obligate” themselves to supporting a new school after using it and other proposed school system improvements to argue for increasing the local option sales tax from 2 to 2.75 percent.
Built in 1949, Centertown is the oldest school in the county and faces a long list of problems, according school system maintenance director and Commissioner Donnie Caldwell.
Such problems include wall and foundation leakage, bad wiring, bad septic lines, poor ventilation, mold, poor handicap access and rusted and blocked pipes.
Caldwell further noted the state’s fire marshal’s office could probably close the school at anytime if it so desired.
Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Hale estimated the system has spent approximately $1.5 million on school improvements and renovations in recent decades and that spending any more on the aging facility would be a waste of taxpayer dollars.
“We’ve reached the point of diminishing returns, as the economists say,” Hale said.
After a lengthy discussion of how the county might finance such bonds, as well as pay off outstanding bonds and contend with ever-increasing budget requests, Centertown principal Janie Moore made an exasperated reply.
“I’ve listened to these same arguments and reasons you’ve given me for 20 years,” she said. “We’re (teachers and staff) doing our part. We’re meeting accountability. We can wait another 10 years to do this, but we’ll still have the same problems and they’ll cost more.”