Gloucester County Public Schools presented a request for additional sales tax funding to be used for additional renovations to the high school to supervisors during a meeting Tuesday night in the colonial courthouse. The additional renovations requested would increase the cost of the project from $45 million to $60 million.

During last year’s budget season, supervisors approved funding for renovations to Gloucester High School costing around $45 million. The funding for the renovation is set to come from the newly instituted 1 percent sales tax. While covering a large portion of the requested renovations, it was not a full-scale renovation.

The 1 percent sales tax was approved by referendum in November 2020, and revenues from it must be used for new construction or major renovations of schools. When the last county budget was approved, the board voted to use part of the sales tax revenue to cover debt services for past school projects.

In December, then-Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring issued an opinion that the tax proceeds could be used only for new construction, not previously incurred debt service. Supervisors subsequently voted to amend the county’s FY22 budget to reflect the opinion. This change in the sales tax use means an additional $15.5 million will be available over the course of its 20-year lifespan to the schools.

In the school’s presentation, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Walter Clemons said the already approved $45 million in renovations won’t cover the cost of the approved projects due to a projected rise in inflation. Clemons said they project the cost of those renovations will be closer to $52.7 million.

The additional $15.5 million in projected revenue can cover the cost of the projected inflation with around $8 million remaining. The schools requested the remaining $8 million to be used for renovations that were not covered in the original approved project.

The additional projects requested to be funded include the reconfiguration of the schools A and C Halls, the band room and the addition of a new drama room.

In A-Hall, the existing walls are ceiling-supported metal partitions that must be removed because they will not support the infrastructural renovations above those ceilings. Since new walls are necessary, the school division believes it would be more efficient to increase the size of the now smaller rooms located in A-Hall.

In his presentation, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Chuck Wagner pointed out the classrooms in A-Hall are 645 square feet which is both smaller than the state-recommended size and smaller than the classrooms of Page and Peasley middle schools. Wagner said the most prudent time to make these changes is during the upcoming construction while new walls and new HVAC systems are being installed.

The drama classroom would be moved from A-Hall to a new area of construction adjacent to the auditorium. The former drama room will be reconfigured to improve hallway and classroom space in A-Hall.

Changes in C-Hall would provide improvements to the Career and Technical Education spaces. Wagner said the CTE spaces are 50 years old and being able to do some forward-thinking improvements to those spaces would be a benefit. The C-Hall changes would also include a redesign the special education spaces to provide better services for those students.

Board discussion

Several supervisors expressed concern with the funding request. Ashley Chriscoe questioned finances of the project, saying the additional $15.5 million was only a projection and not a realized amount. Chriscoe said no one could guarantee that the projections of the 1 percent sales tax would be reached. He argued that the $15.5 million may not be enough for the additional projects if inflation were to exceed expectations which could lead to aspects of the renovation being scrapped.

Chriscoe also questioned the need to spend every remaining penny on the high school when there is a likelihood that one of the other schools may require funding during the 20-year lifespan of the sales tax. He said he was against the approval of more renovation because of funding concerns but did support covering the cost of inflation for the current project.

Echoing his fellow board member, Phillip Bazzani pointed out that the county was only six months into the lifespan of the sales tax and to assume it will hit or exceed its projected revenue amount is a gamble. The bet, he said, would also assume that no other renovation or construction needs would arise over the next 20 years for the other schools.

Board member Michael Hedrick said to use the projected remaining amount of the sales tax revenue would be using all of the schools’ cash flow to max out a figurative credit card. Hedrick said the project and the requested additions were worthwhile but he expressed concern for what any future school needs would mean for taxpayers.

Board member Kevin Smith did not share his peers’ opinions. Smith said it was not a bet on the future; rather, it was the intended use of the sales tax revenue. He said it was not the supervisors’ job to instruct the schools how they should use their funds and that the board should support the schools’ request.

Board member Ken Gibson also supported the additional requests, siting that the school board and the community who voted for the sales tax to be implemented supported the renovations of the high school as well. Gibson said the needs at the high school have been there for years and that the board shouldn’t keep kicking the ball down the road.

Board vice chair Christopher Hutson said the renovations aren’t for the supervisors or the school board, but rather for the kids of the county. To support the renovations to the high school would be to support the county’s future.

Board chair Dr. Robert “JJ” Orth said metal partitions in A-Hall are not appropriate for classrooms. Orth agreed that the time to replace the walls and reconfigure the classrooms would be during the upcoming construction. He also pointed out that the changes being requested were also recommended by former County Administrator Brent Fedors during last year’s budget season.

In response to some of the concerns, Clemons said from the school’s perspective the high school is the one building where all the other schools lead to. He said the high school’s renovation has been on the docket since 2008 and when weighing current and future needs is what the schools have to do each year. He said if the school division can put all of its eggs in one basket it would be the high school considering that is where all the students in Gloucester end up.

There was no resolution for the board to vote on during the meeting; however, Acting County Administrator Carol Steele recommended the board provide direction to the school board sooner rather than later. Before making a decision, Chriscoe asked to have the county’s debt service schedule presented to supervisors so he can see the funding outlook for the county. Orth suggested that the board should hold off making any decision regarding the request until its March 1 meeting.