The Alleghany County Board of
Commissioners and the Alleghany Board of Education met in special session on Monday, October 15, 2007,
at 5:30pm in the
Commissioners Meeting Room of the County
Administration Building,
348 South Main Street,
Sparta, North Carolina.  The purpose of this meeting is to
discuss school facilities and the QZAB projects.

Present:  County—Chair Ken Richardson,
Vice-Chair Warren Taylor, Commissioner Randy Miller, Commissioner Doug Murphy,
Commissioner Milly Richardson, County Manager Don
Adams, and Clerk to the Board Karen
Evans.  Board of
Education—Chair Clarence Crouse, Vice-Chair Betsy Dillon, Faron Atwood,
Mitch Franklin, and Superintendent Dr. Jeff Cox.  Joel Souther was present but arrived
late.

Chair Ken Richardson called the Commissioners’
meeting to order at 5:43pm.

Clarence Crouse called the Board of
Education meeting to order and asked for a moment of silence.

Chair Ken Richardson informed the
Board of Education that the Commissioners passed a resolution about the $2,000,000
QZAB project to move forward.  He
turned the meeting over to the Board of Education.

Clarence Crouse talked about
information handed out by Dr. Cox.

Dr. Jeff
Cox reviewed the revised Schools Facilities Plan starting
with the instructional program.

John Farrelly talked about middle
school personnel needs and the reduction in staff needs for total recurring
costs of $675,000.  He further
talked about the costs to add the middle school programming without building a
new building would be around $1,000,000.
He explained the program expansion and benefits in a middle school.

Dr.
Cox talked about the reduction in the recurring costs.  He continued reviewing the Schools
Facilities Plan with the immediate capital needs, a letter from the architect
about cost estimates for a new middle school for $6,324,413 and renovating
classroom space in the auditorium building for $1,167,354.  He reviewed the need for acquiring land for
sewer needs at Glade
Creek Elementary
School.

Joel Souther arrived at 5:55pm.

Dr. Cox continued reviewing the 3-5
year facility needs and 5-10 year facility needs.  He talked about the auditorium building
being a community effort.  He
further talked about the water and sewer needs at Glade Creek
Elementary School.  He stated that the remaining items on
the Schools Facilities Plan are being taken care of through the QZAB projects.

Clarence Crouse stated that the architect
provided numbers based on a delayed construction start time; therefore, if the
project could be started soon, it could save a lot of money.

Betsy Dillon talked about the
importance of providing the middle school curriculum.  She further talked about the need to be
prepared to deal with enrollment increases that they may have.

Faron Atwood stated that they
wanted to provide numbers to the Commissioners for the total package from the
beginning until the time the children walk in the doors.

Mitch Franklin reiterated the need
to move forward as soon as possible for the benefit of the kids in the future
as well as saving money.

Joel Souther stated that not only does
this give the Commissioners an idea of the immediate needs but the 3-5 year
needs, too.  He stated his appreciation
for the Commissioners’ consideration.

Commissioner Doug Murphy asked does
the 3-5 year needs and 5-10 year needs take in consideration inflation.

Dr. Cox, Faron Atwood, Joel Souther
talked about these are today’s figures.

Mitch Franklin reminded everyone
that these are estimates, not bid prices.

The Board of Education explained
that the immediate needs figure are for a turn-key job.  Dr. Cox talked about the parking area
changes.

Commissioner Doug Murphy asked if
this is a list of programs that will be offered at the middle school.

John Farrelly stated that yes it is.

Clarence Crouse stated that he thinks
all of the surrounding counties have the middle school concept, and these
programs are enhanced programs that will help with test scores.

Commissioner Doug Murphy and Dr.
Cox talked about drop-out rates and the drop-out probability starts in the
middle school grades.

Chair Ken Richardson talked about
the bond referendum timing for the primary election.  He asked that the County Manager
and Dr. Cox present numbers about the costs for a bond referendum.

Clarence Crouse stated that it would
help the school system to have it earlier than May.  He explained why it would help to have
it earlier.

Mitch Franklin talked about they
have looked at it from all aspects and the importance of moving forward as fast
as possible.  He further talked about
the construction costs increasing.

Chair Ken Richardson stated that he
thinks that is for the Board of Education to request to the Board of
Commissioners then it is up to Dr. Cox and the County Manager
to see if that is feasible and see if that can be worked out.

County Manager Don Adams talked about a referendum can’t be
held within so many days before a scheduled election.  He talked about backing up the timeline
and it would have to be decided within the next month in order to have it in
March.  He further talked about the
costs will be for the election will be around $12,000 to $15,000 and an
additional $5,000 to $7,500 for legal fees.  He reminded everyone that if the
referendum is joined with the May primary the costs wouldn’t be much
other than the programming costs.

Dr. Cox talked about it is more of
an issue to get the project done by August for the beginning of school.

Commissioner Warren Taylor asked if
the County will have to go to the Local Government Commission again.

County Manager
Don Adams answered yes.  He talked about if assuming the
referendum passes, then it will be 2 to 3 months to get to where money can be spent.  He explained that the County will have
to go before the Local Government Commission to get approval.  He further explained that there are several
decisions that have to be made by the County Commissioners
if the referendum passes.  He
reiterated that it could take 3 months to get the finances in place.

Dr. Cox explained on the Board of
Education’s side that once they get a yes for the project to go forward
that it will probably be 3 months before they can start construction.

County Manager
Don Adams talked about the
importance of the final number being accurate and the number that is on the
referendum is important.  He
reviewed the process to sell bonds and the importance of the exact number if
bonds are going to be sold.

Dr. Cox asked how the land-transfer-tax
issue will be presented to the public in relation to the middle schools.

Commissioner Warren Taylor stated
that was his issue exactly at the last meeting and that was his reason for
wanting another meeting.

Chair Ken Richardson stated that
they are two separate issues, and the Commissioners haven’t acted yet on
the transfer-tax issue.  He talked
about the earliest it would go to referendum would be May or even November.

Clarence Crouse stated that they
see the need to pay current debt but their job is to keep the schools as the
number issue in the county.  He
further stated that hopefully the people in the county would see their needs.

Mitch Franklin stated that he thinks
that if the transfer tax is tied to a middle school it would help it pass.

Clarence Crouse reiterated that the
Board of Education needs to formally request an earlier referendum date and ensure
that their numbers are firm.  He
talked about he understands that this needs to be done quickly to have an
earlier referendum.

County Manager
Don Adams agreed.

Faron Atwood asked where to go from
here.

Clarence Crouse stated that the Board
of Education will have another meeting.

Dr. Cox talked about they need to formally
request the number.  He further
talked about he thinks about how this and the transfer tax will be presented to
the public.  He explained how each
issue could help each other.  He
stated that everyone is going to have to come to a decision about how this is
going to be presented to the public.

Chair Ken Richardson talked about
this is an important consideration.
He further talked about the Commissioners have to consider all needs.

Clarence Crouse stated that they certainly
want to work together.

Dr. Cox talked about the tight
timeline and asked when the Commissioners want to have the discussions about
how all of this fits together like the Medicaid monies and land transfer tax
with these projects.

Chair Ken Richardson stated that
the next discussion should be whether to put it on a referendum or not and the
other discussions will come later.

Commissioner Doug
Murphy talked about his understanding is the Commissioners
are waiting on the Board of Education to come back with their request about
when to put this on a referendum.

County Manager Don Adams stated that the first decision that the
Commissioners need to make is if this is going to a referendum and if so, when
is the referendum.  He further
stated that he hasn’t heard any formal plans for the transfer tax and the
Board hasn’t had that type of discussions.  He talked about the need for the formal
request and when they want it on a referendum.

Chair Ken Richardson talked about Dr.
Cox and the County
Manager will work with
Board of Elections to get the answers about the referendum.

Clarence Crouse and Chair Ken
Richardson talked about the next regular Commissioners meeting is on November
5.

Clarence Crouse stated that they
will have the official request at that meeting.

Being no further Board of
Education’s business, Mitch Franklin made a motion to adjourn the meeting
at 6:28pm.  Joel Souther seconded the motion.  Vote 5:0.

Being no further
Commissioners’ business, Commissioner Randy Miller made a motion to
adjourn at 6:29pm.  Commissioner Doug
Murphy seconded the motion.  Vote 5:0.

Respectfully Submitted,

Karen Evans

Clerk to the Board

Attest:

Ken Richardson

Chairman