LAURINBURG – Scotland County Board of Commissioners has approved a measure to allow Scotland County schools to seek bids to expand two schools as part of its consolidation plan.

The board heard a request this week from Jay Toland, Scotland County School’s chief finance officer, asking permission to move forward with bids for Sycamore Lane and Laurel Hill Elementary schools.

“What we’re here to ask for is for a vote to take a step forward in Phase II which would be to bid out the additions to Laurel Hill and Sycamore Lane,” Toland said.

The cost of the two additions could total $16.1 million, including $13.6 million in hard costs and $2.5 million for soft costs for the architect, furniture and equipment to supply the building.

Phase II would see North Laurinburg and Covington Street schools closed and the students moved to Sycamore Lane and Laurel Hill Elementary schools. Moving those students would require that the county make expansions at each school.

Toland told the board that the school system would need final approval by the first week in August.

Board Chair Carol McCall said she would like to have a joint meeting between the two boards in July to receive the bid and get further information before making a final decision to move forward with consolidation.

Commissioner John Alford said that taking bids would allow the boards to make a better informed decision about moving ahead.

Two additions with 10 classrooms each will be built at Sycamore with a four-classroom pod build in the middle of the building.

The expansion is set to cost approximately $7 million with another $500,000 needed for the expanded parking lots and parent pick-up lane.

Laurel Hill will add 18 classrooms and a new gym, expand the bus parking lot and parent drop-off lane at a cost of about $6 million with $380,000 needed for the driveway.

Commissioner Betty Blue Gholston voted against the request.

Gholston, a former school board member, said the school system should rehabilitate “good neighborhood schools already in place.”

“I cannot support the $40 million school consolidation plan,” Gholston said in a statement. “It places too much of a burden on the citizens of Scotland County to get in that kind of debt for the next 30 years.”

Gholston said the county is already burdened with debt from for school construction from “years ago” on top of the expense of funding the school floor.

“The school board assures the board of commissioners that we will not have to pay back the $40 million loan that it will be payed from cost savings from closing the existing four schools,” Gholston said. “However, I am reminded that in the 1960s the county and city of Laurinburg merged which created the school floor. No one had any idea it would grow through the years and cause the financial burden we now face.”

By Beth Lawrence

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Reach Beth Lawrence 910-506-3169