Caroline County board expands architect RFP to include schools, bus garage; approves $600,000 appropriation

The Caroline County Board of Supervisors voted to expand an architectural request for proposals (RFP) and to appropriate $600,000 for design services, adding multiple school- and facilities-related projects to a packet that had originally covered only the Dawn Community Center.

The decision follows a lengthy discussion in which supervisors argued the county must pursue short-term fixes to immediate classroom overcrowding while continuing longer-range planning for a new elementary school. The board voted to send an RFP that covers: the Dawn Community Center; expansion of the county-owned bus maintenance garage; feasibility and classroom use studies for the old Ladysmith (Lotus Academy) and old Bowling Green elementary school buildings; a possible expansion to the current Bowling Green Elementary (including use of a “knockout wall”); and an addition at Caroline Middle School. The board also approved increasing a supplemental appropriation for architect services to $600,000 from the undesignated general fund balance.

Supervisor Thomas introduced the broader scope, saying the county could use immediate, one-time funding to relieve overcrowding at schools while the school division works on longer-term solutions. “If we could do something right now … the county could fund right now, we would help right away,” Thomas said during discussion.

Several supervisors and school officials pushed for flexibility in the RFP so firms could bid on individual pieces (for example, only bus garage work) or on the entire package. Board counsel and staff advised that issuing an RFP without appropriated funds for the expanded scope is legally possible but could reduce bidder confidence; the board settled on increasing the appropriation to signal funding was available for design work.

Caroline County School Superintendent Dr. Calvert and other school staff briefed the board on constraints at older buildings. Calvert said the old Ladysmith facility lacks a working kitchen and would require substantial renovation to support full preschool meal service; she estimated a major renovation could cost in the $10–11 million range. The schools’ staff also presented “learning cottage” (temporary modular classroom) options as a lower-cost interim approach, and noted the school division had previously estimated deferred maintenance and expansion costs, including a roughly $4.2 million deferred-maintenance figure tied to the bus/transportation facility expansion.

After initial votes and a short recess, the board reconsidered and approved the broadened RFP and the $600,000 supplemental appropriation. The RFP will be drafted to allow firms to bid on one or more parts of the package; staff said they would also compare the county’s RFP responses with a list of seven pre‑vetted architectural/engineering vendors the schools maintain for cooperative procurement.

The board clarified that the appropriation covers design/architectural services only; separate approvals and funding sources will be required to construct or otherwise implement any recommended projects.

The board directed staff to return to the next regular meeting with any refined cost estimates and the proposed RFP language.

Ending: Supervisors said the goal is to secure short-term classroom relief for the 2025–26 school year while preserving options for a centrally sited new elementary school in future planning.