Absentee ballots available for bond referendum this week
By COBY LaRUE
Staff
Absentee ballots were made available Jan. 22 for the upcoming March
11 school bond referendum, said Kate Cosner, director of the
Alleghany Board of Elections. Meanwhile, the deadline to register to
vote in the referendum is Feb. 15.
The school system is requesting $7.5 million in bonds be issued
toward the construction of a middle school. If passed, the referendum
would allow the construction of a countywide middle school for
students in sixth through eighth grades, as well as purchase of
additional land for water and sewer needs at Glade Creek School.
The middle school project is estimated at $7,491,767. Of that amount,
$6,324,413 will go toward new middle school construction, while
$1,167,354 has been allocated for renovations to the existing
auditorium building that will become part of the new middle school.
Of the funds set aside for new middle school construction, $5,602,500
is set aside for building a new 41,500 square-foot school building,
$420,750 for furniture and technology and $301,163 for a 5 percent
contingency.
Of the allocation for renovations to the existing auditorium
building, $1,021,500 will go toward the renovation of 22,700 square
feet, while $90,266 will go toward new furniture and technology and
$55,588 for a 5 percent contingency fund.
In addition, the bond amount also includes about $40,000 to purchase
about four acres of land for water and sewer improvements at Glade
Creek School.
According to information given out by the school system, the
recurring cost of operating a new middle school would be $675,000 per
year.
Additional information and school plans are available on the school
system Web site at www.alleghany.k12.nc.us. A brochure will be
available on the school Web site next week. Copies of the brochure
with bond information were sent home with all school children on Jan.
23. However, those who did not receive a copy may stop by the Board
of Education office at 85 Peachtree St. in Sparta.
In addition, those seeking more information may call Superintendent
Jeff Cox or Assistant Superintendent John Farrelly.
Get the whole story - read this week's edition of The Alleghany News! |
