Schools prepared to pursue new construction projects
Published 5:00 am Tuesday, August 21, 2007
During a meeting of the board of trustees Monday, Lincoln CountySchool District Superintendent Terry Brister said the district isabout to undertake several construction projects without issuingbonds or raising bonds.
Brister said the district would be advertising for bids “verysoon” on projects to pave the parking lot and reroof Bogue ChittoAttendance Center and construct a new 12-classroom building atEnterprise Attendance Center.
Cheryl Shelby, the district’s business manager, said she couldnot provide cost estimates for the projects because it mayinfluence the bid process, but said “the money paying for theseprojects in already there.”
Brister complimented the board on members’ stewardship and saidit was their leadership that is allowing the district to be able toundertake the projects without having to raise taxes or issuebonds.
“We’re not rich, but we’re not poor, either,” Brister said.”We’re just doing well with what we have.”
Shelby said the money for the projects had built up over timethrough timber sales and interest collected from 16th Sectionlands.
“At any time if we had any extra money from conservativespending, that’s where we put it,” she said.
Last year, the district paid off a $1,685,000 construction bondissued in 1997. It continues to pay on a 2002 bond issue of nearly$4 million, Shelby said.
This year’s projects will be costly, Brister said, but thedistrict has been preparing for them and others for severalyears.
“I can tell you this, we’re not through either,” Brister said.”We’ll continue to replace as we go and you will always have moneyunless something drastic happens. We’re building on thefuture.”