May 02, 1996|By Andrea F. Siegel | Andrea F. Siegel,SUN STAFF
The county won nearly $1.8 million yesterday in state money toward a new $9.9 million Jacobsville Elementary School, giving officials a reason to start the Pasadena project in July instead of postponing it a year.
The school has a dozen portable classrooms and growing enrollment. A new building would house 600 students.
Yesterday's action by the state Board of Public Works brings the total state contribution to Anne Arundel schools to $5.07 million for fiscal 1997, which starts July 1. Almost half of the supplemental $64.3 million awarded by the board for school construction went to Montgomery County.
The money is part of a total $140.2 million school construction budget for 1997, which Gov. Parris N. Glendening said is the largest in more than 20 years.
The Jacobsville money came on the same day that County Executive John G. Gary presented his budget fiscal proposal, which did not include any money for the Mountain Road school, to the County Council. Instead, he deferred consideration until fiscal 1998.
School and government officials do not want to risk losing the state money, which could happen if the county holds up the project. Construction will take about two years.
"I think we could move some money up a year," said county Budget Officer John Hammond.
He said some $1.9 million in impact fees the county has collected from developers could be used for the project.
The school system is "absolutely" prepared to lobby the council in budget hearings that start May 13, said Joseph H. Foster, the
school board
president. The council expects to adopt a budget by the end of May.
The school system lost only one of three appeals yesterday, that for state planning approval and $2.3 million toward a new $23.4 million Meade area middle school.
However, the county has collected enough money from developers to pay for the rest of the project and can seek the state money next year or the year after. The school board began awarding site preparation contracts yesterday for the building that will be on Fort Meade property.
Arundel officials said they were delighted with the outcome of the Board of Public Works meeting, where they also won state planning approval for the renovation of Brooklyn Park Middle School.
"This is so important for North County," said Delegate Joan Cadden, the Brooklyn Park Democrat who championed the school.
The state Interagency Committee had deferred a decision last year, questioning the need for the $26.2 million project. It noted that sixth-graders can be accommodated in other schools and that the space proposed for renovation was greater than required.
School officials have long maintained that they want to move the sixth-graders out of the elementary schools in North County. Only North County and Meade schools lack full middle school programs for all sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders.
In addition, the county is looking at housing some senior citizen programs in the building. And Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts is considering using the middle school for a North County outreach center.
Mr. Gary recommended allocating $1,000 for the Brooklyn Park school, far short of the $1.4 million the school system sought. However, just creating the account shows the intent of the county to move ahead, said Gregory V. Nourse, the school system's financial officer.
The school system had already won state school construction money for next year for four projects, all of which Mr. Gary is supporting: $26.2 million for renovation and an addition at Broadneck High School; $9.8 million for a new Ridgeway Elementary School; $750,000 for a new ventilation system at Severna Park High School; and $1.5 million to renovate Severna Park High School science laboratories.
The Board of Public Works also gave money to these areas:
Baltimore gained $2.4 million for roof repairs at five schools, bringing its total 1997 capital projects award to $8.7 million.
Howard County received $3.9 million for a total of more than $9 million in state aid for school construction -- the third-largest amount in the state.
Carroll County gained another $2 million toward a new elementary school in South Carroll, the fastest growing part of the county, for a total of $6.22 million in state money for 1997.
Baltimore County received the second largest award in the state -- $14.9 million.
Pub Date: 5/02/96
