NK schools’ capital plan lists only two projects for 2011-12

New Kent School Board members have voted preliminary approval for a five-year capital improvement plan totaling almost $35.5 million. But only a fraction of the proposed spending, just over $366,000, is pegged for the next fiscal year.

Pointing to ongoing economic and budget woes during Monday’s board meeting, school superintendent Rick Richardson said, “We are not forwarding additional capital projects at this time.”

For now, only two projects appear in the column for the next (2011-12) fiscal year — replacing four buses in the schools’ fleet and buying a new driver’s education car at a cost of $366,210 and $30,000 for funding half of a project to upgrade the playground at Watkins Elementary. The other $30,000 appears in 2012-13.

Richardson, however, suggested the board launch discussions at a tentatively scheduled Nov. 15 work session on the plan’s biggest ticket item — building the county’s third elementary school at a projected cost of $20 million.

In the proposed plan is $2 million for the new school’s architectural and engineering work in 2012-13 with the bulk of the cost ($17.5 million) for construction appearing in 2013-14. The projected timetable is securing architectural bids in summer 2012 and having the school open for students by fall 2014. School officials are basing the new school need on projections that student enrollment at the two existing elementary schools will reach capacity in 2014.

But building a new school as well as buying buses and upgrading a playground depend on funding. School officials can grasp a handle on state money since that amount is based on student enrollment. Local funding, however, is another matter. The county’s Board of Supervisors controls those purse strings and has final say on borrowing for a new school.

If money is not available under the projected timetable, school officials say trailers will have to be placed at the existing elementary schools to handle student overflow. School Board members, meanwhile, plan to invite at least one supervisor to join in upcoming discussions.

Other proposed projects in the capital improvement list are:

–$11.5 million in 2012-13 for renovating New Kent Elementary. Core facilities there are 35 years old and there is need for a new roof and mechanical systems, school officials say.

–$1.64 million spread over three years starting in 2013-14 for expanding the middle school to accommodate 1,000 students. Capacity now is 800 with effective classroom capacity listed at 750. Current enrollment is 668. The bulk of the project ($21.3 million) is placed beyond the five-year scope of the plan into 2016-17.

–$250,000 for adding bleachers at the high school football stadium, a project that has been pushed back a year into 2013-14.

–$200,000 for restoring the tennis courts next to New Kent Elementary in 2014-15.

A project to renovate the “Historic School” also appears in the plan, but there are no funding sources or timetables listed.