Union County facilities committee sends 2026 bond request — $158M for Parkwood high among priorities
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Summary
The facilities committee voted 4-0 to forward a 2026 bond request and updated long-range plan to the full board. The packet centers on financing for Parkwood High School (about $158 million), middle-school renovations including Piedmont, and classroom additions at Wolfe, plus a 3% contingency.
The Union County Public Schools facilities committee voted on Feb. 25 to send a 2026 bond request and an updated long-range plan to the full school board, highlighting a financing ask for Parkwood High School and multiple middle-school renovations.
Mr. Moore, presenting the proposal, said the immediate focus is a 2026 bond ask for Parkwood High School construction. “We are anticipating that to be about a little over 158,000,000,” he said. The long-range plan in the packet extends through 2032 but the committee was asked to consider the 2026 projects now.
The bond package also includes renovations at older middle schools. Mr. Moore described the Piedmont Middle School scope as an addition and renovation that would add cafeteria space, an auxiliary gym, a front-office reconfiguration to control visitor entry, and a classroom addition. He said the district is also proposing a classroom, cafeteria and gym addition at Wolfe to address capacity and an increasing EC population. The packet lists contingency and program management at roughly 3% of the total request (shown as about 6,300,000 in the materials).
Committee members pressed for timing and scope details. When a member asked whether the Piedmont Phase 2 referenced in the long-range plan was a new high school, Mr. Moore said the schedule shows design in 2028 and a construction ask around 2030, similar in scope to the Parkwood replacement approach. On the question of land acquisition around Piedmont, Mr. Moore said potential land purchase discussions are ongoing and that any purchase was not yet included in the numerical estimate.
The committee moved and seconded a recommendation to forward the bond request and long-range plan to the full board; the motion passed by voice vote, recorded as 4-0.
The facilities team said it will provide additional detail on classroom counts and specific office space for items raised by members, and staff will clarify whether acquisition costs will be added to the bond ask before the full-board presentation.
