EL board answers more career center questions
Published: October 28, 2009
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share thisPeople who attended the Elk Lake School Board regular meeting last Tuesday (Oct. 20) had more questions about the proposed Susquehanna County Career and TechnologyCenter expansion project.
The atmosphere was decidedly calmer than at a public hearing on the project held on Oct. 8.
Several residents insisted that the mere fact the discussions have come this far indicate the $8.6 million project is a “done deal,” even though the board has yet to give its final approval.
By law, the district may not vote on the project until at least 30 days following the public hearing, meaning the earliest a decision could be made is at the board’s Nov. 17 meeting.
Still, people pressed the board members to state individually whether they were going to vote for the project. Most declined to answer the question, preferring to wait until an actual vote is taken. But a few offered their views.
Board president Chuck Place, emphasizing that he was speaking only for himself, said he was soundly for the project. Only excessively high construction bids or another unforeseen circumstance would cause him to vote otherwise, he said.
“I’d have to see something quite devastating,” said Place.
Board member Kevin Pierson said he believes the expansion will be a great asset for students and the community.
“I personally feel this is a very good project,” he said.
One resident asked if there has been any board opposition in votes on the preliminaries to the project, such as hiring an architect or arranging financing for the project.
Board member Matthew Curley said to his knowledge all previous votes have been unanimous.
“We have moved to this point for a reason and we take due diligence with every step,” Curley said.
And board member Eric Emmerich added, “I vote the way I feel.”
Superintendent William Bush addressed some questions that had been sent to him during the past week. He said one resident was concerned that the state might fail to come through on its reimbursement.
ElkLake would be financing the project through a loan from Peoples National Bank. But state revenue would cover nearly 45 percent of the construction cost, Bush explained.
The superintendent said he checked with the state Department of Education, and was told that the state has never failed to reimburse a school district for a construction project. He added that reimbursement monies do not come from the state’s general fund, so they are not subject to budgetary fluctuations.
Bush also clarified a question from several residents about the planned 1.1-mill increase that the district would impose to pay back its share of the loan. He pointed out that it would be a one-time increase, not 1.1 mill added on each year during the 20-year term of the loan.
A few residents questioned why the school district is not using money it is getting from natural gas wells being drilled on school property.
Bush explained that gas well money is targeted to go into the district’s general fund to help keep overall expenses down, and pay for ongoing renovations and upgrades to the existing school.
And Curley added that if ElkLake used that money to help pay off the SCCTC project, it would result in the district paying a larger share than any of the other member school districts.
As for why the school district is choosing to undertake this project now, rather than waiting until the economy improves, Bush said the bank financing the district was able to obtain was a good deal that might not last.
“I know it’s a tough economy, but in some respects interest rates are better than what we might get,” he said.
Curley added that the career center is almost full, and that plus the changing job market dictates an upgrade.
“We’re running at or near capacity in our existing building. If you’ve got to make more room, then make more room and more opportunities,” he said.
