) STOKES COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COUNTY OF STOKES ) DANBURY, NORTH CAROLINA
) JANUARY 23, 2008
The Board of
Commissioners of the County of Stokes, State of North Carolina, met
for a special session for a joint meeting with
the Stokes County Board of Education at
Germanton Elementary School-Professional Learning Center located in
Germanton, North
Carolina on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 12:00 noon with the
following members present:
Chairman
J. Leon Inman
Vice-Chairman
Jimmy Walker
Commissioner Ron
Carroll
Commissioner
Ernest Lankford
Commissioner
Stanley Smith
County
Personnel in Attendance:
County
Manager K. Bryan Steen
Clerk to the Board
Darlene Bullins
Board
of Education/Stokes School System
Chairperson
Steve Shelton
Vice
Chairperson Yvonne M. Rutledge
Member
Rebecca P. Boles
Member
Sonya M. Cox
Member
William F. Hart
Dr.
Stewart Hobbs – Superintendent
Donna
Boyles – Executive Director
Administrative
Assistant Ann Robertson
David
Burge –Director of Operations
Chairman J. Leon Inman called the special
meeting with the Board of Education to
order.
Commissioner Carroll delivered the invocation.
Dr. Hobbs invited
those in attendance for the meeting to join both Boards with the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Dr. Hobbs welcomed
those in attendance and expressed the Board of Education’s
appreciation to the Board of Commissioners for
participating in the joint meeting.
Dr. Hobbs presented
the Board of Commissioners the following Stokes County
Schools’ Long Range Facility Goals:
STOKES COUNTY SCHOOLS
LONG
RANGE FACILITY GOALS
Guiding Principles
The Stokes County Board of Education will seek to authorize within available funds the construction and renovations of a sufficient number of school buildings to meet the demands of present and future student enrollments and, in doing so, provide the highest quality educational environment possible for students and employees at the lowest proportionate expenditure of tax dollars.
Decisions pertaining to the actual construction of educational facilities shall be made only after sufficient research and studies have been completed to insure that all aspects have been considered. This shall include but not limited to demographic, instructional, structural, operational, life-cycle costs, effectiveness, efficiency, age, physical condition, historical perspective, community viewpoints, available funding, etc.
Architects employed by the Board are expected to plan for high educational utility, simplicity of design, sound economics, including low long-range maintenance costs, low insurance rates, energy efficiency, and flexibility. Aesthetic aspects shall also be important considerations.
The Stokes County Superintendent of Schools shall annually review the need for and keep current a plan for site acquisition, new facility construction, facility renovation, additions, modification, disposals and facility equipment, to insure adequate facilities to meet all Stokes County School System needs. The implementation of this plan shall be done in such a manner so as to ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and Stokes County codes, rules, regulations and laws.
Goals
· Stokes County Schools will provide educational facilities that will provide a safe and nurturing environment that are conducive to learning.
· Stokes County Schools will provide educational facilities that allow for the most efficient and effective operations, including energy efficient, insurance, life-cycle costs, etc.
· Stokes County will consider the age and physical condition of existing schools in order to make sound educational facility decisions, keeping in perspective the historical and community viewpoints.
· Stokes County Schools will provide for quality instructional space in all educational facilities that will prepare our students with the skills needed for success in the 21st century.
Dr. Hobbs also
presented the Board of Commissioners information regarding Qualified
Zone Academy Bonds program (0% interest) which is a tax code provision
(Internal Revenue
Code 1397E) created under the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (Public Law
105.34 –
August 5, 1997) and designed to assist eligible local education
agencies and schools to
establish qualified zone academies in partnership with
local businesses.
Dr. Hobbs spoke
briefly regarding the following topics:
·
Educational facilities that provide a safe and
nurturing environment that are conducive to learning
·
Structural issues at Nancy Reynolds Elementary
School
·
Updated Facility Needs Report which currently
projects approximately $54 million needed for new facilities and renovations
·
Need to have an additional feasibility study to
analyze the entire school system in order to develop a long range plan – a
minimum of 10 years
·
Feasibility study will provide information
detailing what we have and what we need – information needed to make sound
decisions which could result in saving tax dollars
·
Feasibility study looks at the whole picture at
each facility – not just adding on the needed classrooms
·
Retaining an architectural firm to develop a long
range plan based on factual data (minimum of ten years)
·
Long range plan can develop prioritized projects in
phases
·
Board of Education has given the go ahead to retain
an architectural firm to start the planning process in order for the School
System to be ready when funding is available
·
Possible state bond referendum for schools
·
Operational costs for new and renovated facilities
·
Constant increase of construction cost
Dr. Hobbs concluded the Board of Education
would like to know if possible an
estimated time frame from the County when funding might
be available. At the present time,
the top two pressing issues are a new elementary
school in the Yadkin Township and
renovations or new construction at Nancy Reynolds
Elementary School.
Chairman Inman noted
the following:
·
Board Retreat in 2007 – School Facilities needs was
at the top of the list of priorities
·
County in the process of contracting with a
financial advisor – Request for Proposals will be reviewed at the January 28th
meeting
·
Significant debt going off by 2010
Chairman Inman stated that Board would not be
available to give a definite date when
funding would be available, how much funding would be
available, and what type of funding
until the financial status of the County has been
analyzed by a financial advisor.
Chairman Inman
concluded the time is right to start planning to build schools in Stokes
County.
Vice Chairman Walker
noted the following:
·
Look at top priorities such as the needed
elementary school and start to move on those projects while working on other
phases
Commissioner Lankford noted the following:
·
Reiterated the need to examine the financial status
of the county before determining how much the County can afford
Commissioner Carroll noted the following:
·
Ready now to build schools in Stokes County
Commissioner Smith noted the following:
·
Echoed Dr. Carroll’s statement – Ready to build
schools in Stokes County
Chairperson Steve Shelton reiterated the need
for the comprehensive study to know
what we have, what we need, and what is the best
for Stokes County. Chairperson Shelton
concluded the Board of Education is ready to work with
the Board of Commissioners to
provide the best educational facilities possible for
the Stokes County students.
Vice Chairperson
Yvonne Rutledge reiterated the need for a long-range plan.
Member Sonya Cox
stated the architectural study would provide structural information
on all facilities that will specify the exact
needs, but agreed with Dr. Carroll that it is time
to build schools in Stokes County.
Member Rebecca Boles
commented on the need for the architectural study in order
to make the best use of the tax dollars with
prioritizing projects.
Member Bill Hart
stated the need to get started to get something done and make sure if
projects are done in phases that all phases are done.
Vice Chairman Walker
requested information regarding the engineering report at
Nancy Reynolds Elementary School.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before
the Board, Chairman Inman
entertained a motion to adjourn the joint meeting with
the Board of Education.
Commissioner Lankford moved to adjourn the
joint meeting with the Board of
Education.
Commissioner Smith seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
_________________________
_____________________________
Darlene M.
Bullins
J. Leon Inman
Clerk to the
Board Chairman