South Central Moving Ahead w/Construction Project

South Central school board members are moving ahead with a project to add classrooms and other facilities.

The South Central district was notified earlier this year that the State was finally releasing funding promised several years earlier for a construction project.  South Central Superintendent Rick Batchelor said the Board wanted to move ahead with the project, but only wanted to build what was needed in an effort to keep the local share of the cost down.

The decision was to proceed with construction of eight classrooms and a gymnasium at South Central Elementary School in Kinmundy and eight classrooms and a cafeteria at South Central High School in Farina.  Batchelor said the work at the high school will involve renovation of a portion of the building that has deteriorated and creation of an area for band and chorus as well as up-to-date science labs.

Batchelor was originally told that the District had to have all of the local share of the cost in place before the project could begin.  Now, the State said that's not so and that the local funding can be provided in increments.

Regardless, the South Central board voted Wednesday to approve a resolution to issue up to $3.2 million in general obligation debt certificates to finance the local share of the project cost.  Initially, the local share of the cost was estimated at $3.9 million; now, it's at $2.9 million but the issue will be for up to $3.2 million to provide a cushion.  The local share is about 26% of the total project cost.

Batchelor hopes construction could begin in June 2014.

Also at Wednesday's meeting, the South Central board hired Gwen Diss as a non-certified staff member.