A Charlotte Public Schools Bond Steering Committee — made up of community members, CPS parents, staff, and administrators — presented the school board its final recommendation to move forward with placing a $29.6 million bond proposal on the November ballot. A full presentation chronicling the steps the committee took in reaching its final recommendation was made before the board at its Feb. 12 meeting.
Charlotte Board of Education members are taking their time to examine the recommendation before voting whether or not to place it on the November ballot.
The bond proposal represents a 0.7377 mill increase, which equates to an approximate annual increase of $51.64 for the average Charlotte homeowner with a property value of $140,000.
The recommendation comes after nearly four months of fact-finding, facility tours, and conversations among steering committee members, facilitated by TMP Architecture and Granger Construction.
Key features of the bond recommendation include:
• Critical infrastructure upgrades at all buildings to correct HVAC, electrical, plumbing, building interior and exterior, site and field issues.
• New classroom and media center furniture in the High School, Parkview, Washington, and Galewood to support flexible/collaborative learning.
• New (3) classroom addition at Washington Elementary to replace the existing portable classrooms and remove existing portable classrooms at Parkview.
• New (4) classroom addition and renovation to Galewood to create a Child Development Center. Renovations at Galewood include a safe and secure entry, classroom upgrades, ADA accessibility requirements and site development.
• Improvements at the High School include a new Auxiliary Gym with two full-size courts; updates to the agricultural classrooms; and re-grouting the pool tanks and decks at the Aquatic Center.
• Improvements to the STEM Lab and Robotics area, as well as safety and security upgrades at the Middle School/Upper Elementary.
• Improvements to the High School site including the addition of (8) tennis courts including site lighting, parking, and bleachers; a new restrooms/concessions building; new operable pressbox windows at the existing football field; and a new FFA Agriculture Building, including site work and equipment.
• Weymouth improvements include creating a new safe and secure entry, upgrading and expanding the existing kitchen, new cafeteria tables, and playground equipment.
• Allocation of bond dollars for the purchase of buses and band instruments.
The board may take action on the recommendation at its Monday, Feb. 26 work session meeting.
