Bedford schools draft plan proposes $48 million in construction

BEDFORD — The Bedford County School Board agreed Thursday to present a draft long-range facility plan to county officials with a projected investment of at least $48.8 million.

Board members spent nearly two hours debating two proposals by Superintendent Douglas Schuch during a work session before deciding on one that includes constructing a new middle school and renovating and expanding two existing schools.

Under the preliminary proposal, a new Bedford Middle School would be built at a location to be determined at a projected cost of $29.8 million. Bedford Elementary School would receive an estimated $4.8 million expansion and renovation and Forest Middle School would receive a $14.2 million renovation and expansion.

The middle school project would take three years to complete, the Forest Middle School project would take two years and the Bedford Elementary School project would take one year, according to Schuch’s presentation.

The other $44.7 million proposal sought to convert Bedford Primary School to an elementary school and to convert Bedford Elementary School to a middle school with the plans for Forest Middle School remaining.

Each option would affect 2,900 students if it were to come to fruition, based on Schuch’s presentation.

One of Schuch’s proposals included converting Bedford Primary School to central office space at a projected $6.8 million. Board members didn't commit to that idea and directed Schuch to come up with other possible uses and estimates.

A proposal to construct a gym at Bedford Primary was not included in the presentation Thursday. Schuch said the city of Bedford’s potential reversion to town status, which so far includes officials’ discussions in closed meetings that he said the school division is not privy to, could affect what happens, since several of the schools are in the city.

Schuch emphasized that the plan was a draft, which he said should be annually updated to reflect changes and needs over time. Board members have not formally voted on the plan and are likely to do so in December.

“It’s a working document at this point,” Schuch said.

The school board is set to meet Dec. 3 with the Bedford County Board of Supervisors, which would serve as the division’s fiscal agent for borrowing money, to discuss the plan.

Both bodies entered into a mutual agreement several years ago to renovate Jefferson Forest High School, which was completed last year, six months ahead of schedule and more than $1 million under the projected $38.5 million price tag.

The school system’s debt service for the current year, which includes that and other projects, is $7.8 million. Without adding any new borrowing, that figure is set to decrease every year for the next 10 years.

Steve Arrington, a supervisor who serves as a liaison to county schools, said Thursday when reached for comment that he has specifically requested a long-range plan from the division.

“They are the major player in our budgeting,” Arrington said of the schools. “It’s hard for us to develop a strategic long-range plan outside of having that information ... we need to start planning for the future now instead of being caught and overwhelmed by needs.”

There are many components to that plan, Arrington said, and it would include the impact of the city’s reversion to town status.

“There’s a lot of pieces to this puzzle,” said Arrington, who added that he would not vote to put any “additional burden” on taxpayers.

Schuch met with county supervisors earlier this week and said he would stay in touch with County Administrator Kathleen Guzi to share the division’s progress on the plan.

“Certainly the biggest challenge we face, and we’re not unique, is the economy,” Schuch said to supervisors. “I hope we can work collectively through this challenge.”