School facilities edge toward vote

The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners appeared to again support sending a school facilities issue to the voters of the county.

The cost of a proposed new middle school complex, the option favored by the Alleghany Board of Education, is about $8.5 million. However, recurring costs for the building would be up to $900,000. The funds needed to build such a project would require a hefty tax increase on the county’s citizens.

The county commission and the school board are set to meet on April 10 at 5 p.m. at the Board of Education office.

County Manager Don Adams told the board that the issue is really “in this board’s hands at this point.”

Commissioner J. Warren Taylor noted that he felt the bond issue would have to be a ‘good sell to the community’ as far as the need for the program.

He added that the program plans, or the education goals for the proposed new school, so far are for an “exemplary program.” Taylor wondered how much an ‘above average’ program would cost by comparison. “It would be great if we could afford to do all that they mentioned,” he said, but cost realities may dictate otherwise.

Meanwhile, Chairman Eldon Edwards wondered, “This is a good program, but my question is, can we afford it at this time?” Edwards said such a large amount of borrowing would push the county’s debt service “up to the limit” as far as the Local Government Commission is concerned. The LGC oversees county budgets to ensure that local governments remain viable.

“I don’t think we have any choice,” replied Taylor.

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