The school district’s Local Planning Committee is now reviewing the amended version of the long-range Facility Plan, and the committee held the first of two required public forum’s on the plan last Thursday evening.
No one from the public appeared at the session to comment on the Facility Plan after the meeting was called to order by LPC Chairperson Bobbie Stone.
When no comments were taken, the public forum was adjourned, and the regular meeting of the LPC began.
Tim Eaton, a facilitator with the Kentucky School Boards Association, who has helped in the selection process of superintendents in the district over the years, briefly explained the Local Planning Committee’s purpose and the process they had to go through in reviewing and approving a district facilities plan.
Eaton, who made his remarks at the end of the LPC meeting, said Frankfort seemed favorable to the amendment (of a new Area Technology Center), and what the district is doing overall. He said the goals listed in the plan are not a “wish list,” but a list of actual needs the district has.
He said the next step in the process is to get feedback from the public while reviewing the plan and hold another public forum on the plan and proposed amendment.
The Clinton County Board of Education took the first major step in securing a new high school last fall by approving the double-nickel tax, which will leverage enough revenue to obtain bonding capacity and additional money from state revenue sources.
The total estimated cost for a new high school, which is being proposed to be built onto the existing gymnasium on current school property, is around $43 million.
Once the Local Planning Committee meeting got underway, Superintendent Wayne Ackerman told those present the reason for the meeting was to amend the District Facility Plan with an addition to seek approval for a new ATC (Area Technology Center).
Ackerman estimated the cost of such a facility, which would also be located on the property where the current high school is, would be between $25 and $30 million.
The superintendent said this would be the only way to get free funding from the state to aid in the cost, saying there are no guarantees, but it was a possible pathway for a new Area Tech facility.
He said the district is applying for a $10 million grant to apply to the project and hopes the remaining portion could come from the Kentucky General Assembly. “If they do give us the money, the (ATC building) has to be in the plan,” he added.
Ackerman stated the new high school, as well as a possible new ATC, would not have been possible without the double-nickel tax.
A few committee members asked questions about the ATC project and facilities plan in general.
One member asked what would happen to the current SCC facility, which currently houses the Area Technology Center.
Ackerman said the college, which currently leases the building from the school district, would create more classes for unused classrooms and the district could possibly increase the lease amount.
Lincoln Theinert, bonding agent with RSA, then explained the bonding capacity and process of how it works when figuring in the local tax revenues and matching funding from the state.
Theinert said that every school district starts out automatically with one “nickel” and each added nickel is another revenue stream from the state.
The bonding agent gave out a projected bonding potential packet to all members, noting it was “hypothetical and conservative” at this point.
He also stressed the value of what the double-nickel tax, over a 20 year bonding period, meant to the district and its facilities construction projects.
The double-nickel tax is projected to raise $310,471 annually, but with the Facilities Support Program, $471,230 annually is added to that mount from the state.
There are also funding sources such as the SFCC (School Facilities Construction Commission) that are earmarked for building projects only.
The projected bonding capacity available by July 1, 2026 is $32 million at a projected interest rate of 4.450 percent. (It should be noted that amounts and interest rates are projections only and subject to change.)
Derrick Polston, of DECO Architects of Somerset, then presented the committee some projected costs for the amended project based on KDE (Kentucky Department of Education) values, noting the amended plan for a new ATC was now on the priority list of district facility needs.
He also recommended keeping the current ATC location as a permanent facility listed in the plan for now.
The architect’s draft reveals the facility will consist of a 32,595 square foot building as an addition to the existing high school gym.
Another committee member asked about what classes would be taught (at the ATC).
It was stated that classroom areas would need to be constructed depending on the type of courses being offered.
Further, it is hoped that classes where the most need is, such as electricians, carpentry, or job skilled areas that will create employment opportunities, can be offered.
Eaton noted to the committee that the four-year Facility Plan is mandated by the state, and gave his update on the LPC process primarily for new members, several of whom were just recently seated.
A date for either the next LPC meeting or the second and final public forum for public input on the proposed Facility Plan was not set last week, but both will be announced at a later date.