Athens City Council heard Monday the latest plan from Athens City Schools officials for constructing a new, state-of-the-art high school.

Superintendent Dr. Trey Holladay presented the district’s plan during the council’s work session, outlining cuts and adjustments in the system budget designed to raise enough funds to build the new facility. Cuts didn’t come only from the budget, but also in the plans for the new school, the superintendent said.

“We still have to build, because we have the same problems,” he said. “This will allow us to keep moving forward with the school system.”

This is the “Plan B” Athens City Schools has been working on since city residents overwhelmingly voted down a 12-mil property tax increase last August. Holladay said his office hasn’t been dwelling on the past, but instead have worked on this new plan to address aging facilities. The first concern is still building a new Athens High School. 

“Nobody’s against the schools or doing anything for the kids, they were against new taxes,” he said. 

Originally, officials pitched a 275,000-square-foot facility, equaling about 220-square-feet per student. It would have collegiate-level athletic facilities and fine arts facilities to be shared with the city when school is not in session. 

Now designers are looking at a 255,000-square-foot facility with a price cut from $78 million to approximately $55 million. The campus will still feature the fine arts and athletics facilities, as well as lab and classroom space for hi-tech industry and medical professions training.

Where will the money come from? 

The superintendent said financial officers have cut costs in the central office, moved 12 teachers from “local units” to “state-funded units,” saving the system $840,000 annually in salary and benefits. Additionally, the projected six-figure deficit the system faced from state funding has turned into a surplus, thanks to more funds allocated to the system in response to student body growth. 

Those savings, added to the $6.2 million in annual funds from the city is a good start. The system is then requesting to restructure its debt service of $2 million to add on $1.6 million (for a total of $3.6 million) to be paid off by the funding from city tax revenue. That leaves an annual gap of $300,000, which Holladay asked the City Council to consider covering over the six-year term. Covering the gap would allow for revenue growth to cover added capital debt, the superintendent concluded.

“We think it’s a very workable plan,” he said. “We think there’s no risk to the city.” 

Councilman Harold Wales asked if building the scaled-back school would still allow for new programs to make the high school as competitive as a school like James Clemens in Madison. Holladay said it would, adding the fine art facilities would be the biggest gain to both the city and school system, since each would get to use it. 

“That’s an immediate impact for our students that we (don’t have now),” he said. “I think we’re still on the cusp of great things as far as the school contributing things to the community. Our students and parents can receive what best tailors to their needs.” 

After questions from the council, Holladay and Chief Financial Officer Barry Hamilton said the proposed revenue figures to help fund the new school are conservative and could be much higher than projected, to the point where the city wouldn’t need to cover the gap. 

If the new financial plan is approved by the council, ground for the new school could be broken within 60 days, pending design approval from Montgomery and open by the 2018-19 school year. After the school is built, Athens Middle School students would move into the current high school campus. Then, officials will decide what to do with Athens Elementary School, the oldest of the city’s K-4 facilities. 

Mayor Ronnie Marks said he supports the plan and hopes the council will vote soon in either a special meeting or during the Jan. 25 meeting at the latest.

 

Other business

In other business, the council:

• Approved adding $350,000 to the paving budget, for a total of $1.1 million; $900,000 for streets and $200,000 for sidewalks, does not include figures from Alabama Transportation and Rehabilitation and Improvement Program;

• Re-appointed David Malone to the personnel board;

• Appointed Teresa Brown to the Houston Memorial Library board;

• Appointed Al Wassum as regular member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, replacing Bill Vaughn;

• Approved a special event liquor license for The National Wild Turkey Federation; and

• Approved a resolution for applying for an Assistance to Firefighters grant to update face masks; applying for $227,250, with a city match of more than $25,000.