Centertown school controversy appears over

County Executive Kenneth Rogers has agreed to co-sign construction contracts for the Centertown School project, thus ending a controversy which began at the Warren County Commission’s October meeting when school officials learned $6.5 million to build the school would not be turned over to the school system.

Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Hale spoke at that meeting and explained he had been advised by state officials it would be illegal to sign a contract without the money in the school system budget. The school system’s legal counsel, Mike Galligan, concurred, creating an impasse that threatened to delay the project.

The disagreement, which generated some heated rhetoric over the past few weeks, ended at a meeting of the school board attended by county and school system officials Wednesday night. Galligan said he felt the compromise offered by Rogers of co-signing the contracts would work, and that he and partner Robert Newman had drawn up an agreement for Rogers to sign.

“What that would do,” Galligan said, “is we would agree the County Executive could sign the checks.”

According to Galligan, having Rogers co-sign the contracts is a good idea.

“I think is appropriate given the fact that he’s signing the checks for it,” Galligan said. “And we would sign too because it is our duty to see that this is done appropriately, to watch over it.”

Galligan said he felt this agreement would be a good move for all concerned and advised the board to approve it. A motion was made to this effect and passed unanimously.

The reaction was universally positive from officials on both sides, who seemed relieved the impasse had finally been breached.

“I’m elated,” said school board chairman Dr. Deborah Watlington. “It sounds like we’re very close to getting this under way, and that’s what both sides clearly wanted. It was just legal language and issues from both sides, but it appears we’re there now.”

“I feel very, very good,” said Hale. “I feel like we reached an amicable solution to the problem. I know people of good minds and good character can get together and reach a compromise that’s workable, where the benefits fall to the children, and hopefully to the county as a whole. We are all Warren countians and we all just need to work together because this is a critical time in our county’s history.”

“Good things don’t immediately happen,” said Commissioner George Smartt. “It was good we came together and found common ground and good that both sides got a chance to discuss some of their points. But I’m glad we got together. We’re going to get a good school out there and it’s time to go build it and sit back and enjoy it.”

Rogers got the approval from county attorney Larry Stanley to co-sign the contract yesterday. All that remains is for the county and the school system to sign the contracts, after formally approving the low bidder, and break ground, which should happen in the near future.