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School officials seek county commitment for Independence Elementary addition and grant application
Summary
School representatives asked supervisors to sign a county commitment letter to support a state renovation grant that would fund an addition at Independence Elementary; they proposed a 7,200 sq ft addition estimated at about $3 million and requested the county consider covering $300,000 above the local required effort.
A school division representative asked the Board of Supervisors to support a state renovation grant application to replace temporary trailers and add classrooms at Independence Elementary School (IES).
The school official told the board the immediate need is to remove two trailers that house classrooms and the library and build permanent space. The division presented a preliminary design for a roughly 7,200-square-foot addition that would provide five classrooms and restrooms and estimated the construction cost at about $3,000,000. The school representative said adding a cafeteria and kitchen expansion would add roughly $1,000,000, taking a full project to approximately $4,000,000.
"That would be 5 classrooms and bathrooms included...a new IES addition of 7,300 square feet is about $3,000,000," the school official said. The presentation noted the division has roughly $1.8 million currently allotted in its CIP toward the project and said the state grant under discussion could provide up to 30% of eligible project costs; at a 30% award rate, a $3,000,000 project would yield about $900,000 in state funds.
The school representative asked the county to consider covering $300,000 above the division’s required local effort to make the project feasible, and requested a county commitment letter similar to one the county provided in 2021. The school official said the grant application deadline is April 18 and asked that the board indicate whether the county will support the application by that date.
The school official also described other needs: asbestos removal and lighting upgrades at Fairview Elementary (estimated about $300,000) and weapons detectors (the presenter estimated about $18,000 per unit) the division hopes to add for school safety. For Fairview, the presenter said the division anticipates covering the cost from renovation reserves and therefore was not requesting county funding for that item at this time.
Supervisors said they would review architectural materials and discuss the requested commitment and timing; the board did not take immediate action at the session.
