City Schools of Decatur unveils $35 million campus 'domino' plan to add early‑childhood center, CTAE labs, arts and auxiliary gym

City Schools of Decatur officials on June 10 laid out a multi‑phase capital plan that would place a standalone Early Childhood Learning Center at College Heights, repurpose the existing Frasier Center into career, technical and agricultural education (CTAE) labs, expand fine‑arts performance and rehearsal spaces and build an ADA‑compliant auxiliary gym to ease scheduling conflicts for athletics and performing ensembles.

The district described the projects as interdependent “dominoes” that free up space on the land‑locked Decatur High School campus and would create dedicated rehearsal, practice and lab spaces for more than 1,200 student athletes and multiple arts ensembles.

Why it matters: district leaders said the combined projects address long‑standing capacity constraints that force late‑night rehearsals and practices, constrain CTAE pathway growth and limit early‑childhood seats for families with the greatest need. The board heard the presentation in a work session and was asked to authorize staff to pursue financing and design steps.

District chief operations officer Jarvis Adams told the board the plan would “maximize every square foot” on the 18‑acre campus and create purpose‑built space for robotics, culinary arts, health sciences, orchestra, band, indoor percussion and winter guard. Adams also said the sequence matters: building a new ECLC allows students to move out of Frasier so that site can be converted to CTAE labs, which then enables theater and gym expansions without displacing current programs. “This request does not add extras,” Adams said; “It simply fulfills those commitments,” he added.

Chief financial officer Dr. Lanita Broom presented the financial outline: preliminary one‑time capital costs (including contingencies) are estimated at $35,000,000 and ongoing annual operating costs at about $3,000,000. The district described several financing vehicles under consideration: the City of Decatur Public Facilities Authority (PFA) as a conduit, general obligation (G.O.) bonds (which would require a city referendum under the city charter), certificates of participation (COPs), new market tax credit participation and philanthropy/capital campaigns. Broom said the PFA—created by the Georgia General Assembly in 2017—could issue bonds on behalf of the district without a referendum, while a G.O. bond would require a voter referendum and city action. She also noted that the district could apply SPLOST proceeds and pursue federal or philanthropic grants as part of a blended financing plan.

Board members pressed for particulars. District staff provided several clarifications: the $3,000,000 annual operating estimate includes salaries and benefits for new positions and facility operating costs, and roughly $1,500,000 of that is expected to be offset by tuition (pre‑K/full‑tuition slots) and other revenue streams; capital repayment scenarios shown included about $2.6 million annually for a 20‑year repayment at an assumed 4% rate or about $2.1 million annually for a 30‑year repayment at an assumed 4.25% rate, subject to market conditions. Staff said slot revenue and SPLOST would cover a portion of debt service and that certificate timing and bond pricing would be developed if the board directs staff to move forward.

Community input and equity: staff described a multi‑pronged community engagement plan that included focus groups, surveys, co‑design workshops with students, parents, CTAE and fine‑arts staff, and site visits to peer facilities. Deputy Superintendent Karen Newton Scott and Frasier Center staff emphasized both a historical mission to serve high‑need families and the current reality that existing slots are largely filled and that wait lists exist at Frasier and College Heights. Staff said renewed outreach—door‑to‑door recruiting, DHA (housing authority) engagement and culturally relevant outreach—will be part of implementation to ensure seats serve low‑income and high‑need families as intended.

Timing and next steps: staff asked the board to authorize district legal counsel, bond counsel and financial advisors to pursue PFA financing and other due diligence. Broom said a competitive bond process would require about 90 days once a financing approach is selected and that the earliest a city referendum could appear for G.O. bonds would be November (calendar year disclosed as potential). Staff said a fuller timeline and cash‑flow scenarios would be presented to the board in August once financing path reports are complete.

Board concerns and operational details included parking, student transportation limits for infants and toddlers, how many pre‑K seats would be added, and assurances that the Frasier Center’s staff and programs would be preserved and expanded. Staff said infant transport is restricted by Georgia Department of Education rules and that creating a standalone ECLC is the more feasible option to serve infants and toddlers and to align with licensing and transportation rules.

What’s next: the presentation asked for board authorization to pursue financing steps and to continue schematic design and community engagement; no construction contracts were approved at the June 10 meeting. Staff committed to return with refined cost scenarios, a phased schedule and firm financing recommendations for board action.

Ending: the capital plan presentation closed with the district framing the projects as a single, campus‑level strategy intended to expand early‑learning access, grow CTAE capacity and relieve long‑standing space constraints in arts and athletics—with staff emphasizing that design and funding decisions will require board direction before any construction begins.