The York School Board unanimously voted Monday night to approve the next 10 years of planned capital improvements throughout York County Schools.
Two last changes to the plan added $669,000 to build a new roof at Yorktown Elementary School, instead of simply coating the current one. That, plus another $100,000 to add parking spaces at the school, brought the total cost for more than 80 projects to $109,614,000.
“That’s the purpose of the (capital improvements program). It’s big picture, it’s long term,” said Chairman Mark Medford. “We always have to have plans in place because we’re talking about major expenditures and since it’s taxpayer money through the country, usually through borrowing bonds. We also have to make sure our infrastructure stays intact or strengthened, whether it’s roof replacements, whether it’s additions to a building, whether it’s HVAC systems … we don’t want systems to fail. We plan.”
The plan calls for $26.6 million to be spent on a new elementary school over the next two years, $3.5 million in 2017 to purchase land and design the space and $23 million in 2018 to construct the building. Previously, the entire $26.6 million for the new school was planned for fiscal year 2017.
Next year, the plan also includes $900,000 for a four-classroom modular unit at Yorktown Elementary School and a six-classroom modular unit at Magruder Elementary School until the new school can be built.
The plan now goes to the York Board of Supervisors for inclusion in the county’s budget plan. Medford said that shouldn’t pose a problem.
“Our staff works very closely with county staff on an ongoing basis,” Medford said. “We’re talking many, many meetings between the senior level, like the superintendent meeting with the county administrator, down to our executive level where they’re having constant discussions about what are our needs, what are the limitations on borrowing. … We have to make sure we’re explaining ourselves and we have our data points.”
Hammond can be reached by phone at 757-247-4951.
