news-record.com

GREENSBORO — Cathy Polischak can smell mildew and mold at Northeast Middle School, and she worries for her seventh-grade son and his classmates.

“I know that when I walk in to help, there are days when you can just smell it,” she said. “I don’t think it’s healthy for any child.”
Polischak isn’t alone in her concerns. Last week, 150 Northeast parents signed a letter with a long list of maintenance needs addressed to school system officials. At least some of those issues could be addressed within the next year, if county leaders are willing to take on more debt.

Northeast would receive $2.2 million to repair its heating and air-conditioning system and roof if the county approves $17.1 million in bonds the school system voted to apply for on Thursday.

The bond money, Guilford County’s portion of a $275.7 million federal stimulus package allocated to the state for school construction, would pay for maintenance needs at about 30 schools.

The federal government would pay interest on the bonds, which do not require voter approval. Last year, voters approved $651.4 million in bonds, including $467 million for schools.

“We’ve got the needs out there and to me, to not accept this when it’s such a favorable situation, I would feel like I wasn’t doing my job to advocate for the needs that we have,” school board member Kris Cooke said.

Cooke said the money also would put maintenance and construction workers back to work.

Four school board members voted against applying for the bonds, citing concerns about the lack of voter input, increasing debt and an inconsistent list of maintenance needs.

“I don’t doubt that we have the needs. What I disagree with is the vehicle being proposed to meet those needs,” said Amos Quick, vice chairman of the board.

The county commissioners also must approve the application before the school system can receive the bond money. Commissioners Chairman Melvin “Skip” Alston said he isn’t sure how great a need there is for maintenance funding and needs a lot more information about the bonds before he can make a decision.

“I don’t see it as a crucial need at this point because we already had funds available, as far as maintenance,” he said.
Commissioners approved a $4 million maintenance budget for the school system this year, $3 million less than approved in the 2008-09 budget. The commissioners said the school board could request additional funding for maintenance as needs arise.
The commissioners have until August to approve the bond application. If they vote it down, the state will divvy up the $17.1 million among the school systems that do apply. The county could apply for another $17 million in January.

The school board’s bond vote came at the same time it approved about $2.2 million in budget cuts.

The system will save about $1.1 million by requiring employees to pay for their own dental insurance.

The board also approved limiting transportation to one year for students enrolled in the Home Field Advantage program. That program is offered at 11 schools that have a high number of students moving from school to school during the year because of homelessness and other financial factors. Officials estimate the change will save about $416,877.

The cuts continued in transportation with the decision to save about $250,000 by limiting bus stops. Students will now be required to walk up to a half-mile to central bus stops. Buses made stops at individual houses in some neighborhoods.

The change will affect high school and middle school students only.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com