TITLE
Title
GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS (GCS) CAPITAL PROJECT AMENDMENTS FOR CAPITAL RENOVATIONS ($50,000,000)
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Michael Halford
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BACKGROUND
Background
Guilford County voters have approved a total of $2.0 billion in school bond referendums to address school capital needs identified through a comprehensive facilities master plan jointly developed by the Guilford County Board of Education and Guilford County Board of Commissioners. The initial funding plan for the school capital program called for the $2 billion to divided into five separate sales of $120 million to $570 million, based on the progression of construction and when funds were needed to pay expenses. Splitting the $2 billion into several sales allows the county to closely align when it borrows funds with when the school system spends the funds, which means the public avoids paying interest on borrowed funds that are not needed in the short-term to pay expenses. This is important because it keeps the funding plan in balance with the model approved by the Board of Commissioners and provides budgetary predictability and stability for school capital needs.
Since approval of the bond referendum, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners approved $580,487,181 in project ordinances.
• April 2021 - $300,000,000 (2021-191)
• January 2023 - $174,646,154 (2023-151)
• April 2023 - $48,233,232 (2023-238 & 2023-274)
• February 2024 - $35,870,365 (2024-172)
• June 2024 - $10,000,000 (2024-172)
• July 2024 - $8,500,000 (2024-346)
• August 2024 - $3,237,430 (2024-378)
Guilford County Schools has spent approximately $286 million through October 2024, with significant progress at Claxton Elementary, Peck, Foust, Brooks Global, Kiser Middle, and the New Visual Performing Arts School. Additional information on each project can be found on the Construction Bond Dashboard, located on Guilford County School’s website.
In late July 2024, the Guilford County Schools Board of Education (BOE) requested approximately $238 million of capital project ordinances to complete high priority capital renovations at various schools across the county. These renovations include building and site improvements (e.g., HVAC/heating systems, roof replacements, etc.), technology modernization, and safe school upgrades. School system and county staff continue to evaluate these requests, amounts, and projected spending timelines to ensure improvement and upgrades are completed within the approved funding plan. This agenda item requests approval of $50,000,000 of capital renovations to advance the BOE's capital renovation program, with specific school sites to be determined by the BOE. The Boards of Education and Commissioners will continue to evaluate additional renovation program requests and approve additional capital renovation project ordinances as timing and funding permit.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
School Capital Outlay Fund
$50,000,000 increase in Other Revenues (Bond proceeds)
$50,000,000 increase in Capital Renovations
Authorize the County Manager to establish individual project ordinances that total $50,000,000 by school location based on BOE priorities.
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Appropriate $50,000,000 in Other Revenues (Bond Proceeds) to support $50,000,000 in appropriations to school capital project ordinances for major renovations and authorize the County Manager to establish initial project ordinances by school location based on priority projects identified by the Guilford County Board of Education.
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