Voters Approve Bonds to Build Schools
November 9, 2006 - Wake County voters approved the school bond referendum November 7, providing the funds to build the schools needed to relieve crowding, make needed improvements and serve thousands of new students.
 Superintendent Burns, flanked by Board of Education Vice Chair Rosa Gill(L) and Chair Patti Head (R), thanks the community for supporting new schools for WCPSS students. |
With 99 percent of votes counted on Wednesday, the vote stood at 104,717 "Yes" and 92,810 "No." It was 53 percent "Yes" and 47 percent "No."
Superintendent Del Burns, Board of Education Chair Patti Head and Vice-Chair Rosa Gill offered thanks to voters for their support of the bond, the school system and the students of Wake County.
"This is one great day for one great community," Dr. Burns said. "In the end, voters in Wake County stood for children and we can continue to do the hard and important work of making sure that every child graduates on time and prepared for the future."
Wake voters approved a $970 million bond to pay for a $1.056 billion school construction plan. The bond is the largest approved by a North Carolina county for school construction.
Of the 89 bond issues in North Carolina counties since 1995, the next largest to be approved was the $500 million Wake County referendum in November 2000. Voters approved a $450 million Wake County referendum in October 2003, $415 million Mecklenburg County referendum in November 1997; and $300 million Guilford County referendum in November 2003.
The Wake County vote followed more than 18 months of hard work by the Board of Education and Board of County Commissioners as they met at least monthly to review construction assumptions and develop a school construction package that both boards agreed to support.
By working together, the two groups agreed to create a county Facility Advisory Committee made up of experts in the building field to review construction of county and school facilities; agreed on building larger capacity schools while finding areas to reduce square footage in elementary and middle schools; and school site size. In all, 21 issues were discussed as the two boards reached agreement on the construction program.
The school system turned to the community repeatedly seeking input on the school construction program. Citizens gave input in public hearings, online comments, and focus groups.
Community support was key to the bonds approval. The Friends of Wake County led by Bill Atkinson and Ann Goodnight and the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce led discussion of the bond needs. The Wake PTA Council and more than 50 school PTAs approved resolutions of support. Mayors Charles Meeker of Raleigh, Ernie McAlister of Cary and Ronnie Williams of Garner offered their endorsement for the bonds in a news conference.
The construction program is needed to address explosive enrollment growth. More than 7,500 new students arrived this year to attend Wake schools that were already crowded. This is the first of six years where 7,000-9,000 additional new students are projected for WCPSS. Wake currently enrolls 128,072 students.
The construction program includes 17 new schools scheduled to open between 2008 and 2011, land and design start-up costs for another 13 schools, major renovations to 13 existing schools, and life-cycle replacements (air conditioning systems, roofs, etc.) at nearly 100 schools. It includes the conversion of 19 elementary schools and three middle schools to the multi-track year-round calendar beginning in 2007-08.
Work to build four new elementary schools is expected to start in March. School designs have been completed and property acquired. The next step is for the school board to seek funding authorizations from the county commissioners.
The first four elementary schools to be built are Cary Park, River Bend, Laurel Park and a school designated E17 that will be off Leesville Road. The plan is to have the schools open for 2008-09. Funds will be requested to build the new Heritage High due to be completed in 2009, and to begin major renovation projects for East Millbrook Middle and Lynn Road Elementary.
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