School 10-year facilities plan to be released for public viewing

The Morgan County School Board will review the 10-year Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) at an 8 a.m. meeting on Tuesday, August 3 at the school board office.

The meeting was rescheduled from the evening to the morning so School Superintendent David Banks could go over the facilities committee’s recommendations with the board.

The 10-year facilities plan will be available for public viewing on Wednesday, August 4.

Public hearing
A public hearing on the facilities plan will be held on Tuesday, August 31 at 6:30 p.m. before the regular school board meeting which begins at 7 p.m.
Any citizens that have questions or issues about the plan can take them to the public hearing or to the board at their Tuesday, August 17 regular meeting, board president Laura Smith said.

The final 10-year facilities plan will be adopted at the September 6 school board meeting.

The facilities plan’s proposed recommendations are mostly major building projects and repairs like the Berkeley Springs High School gymnasium project and the school board office boiler, Smith said.

No school closings
There are no school closings under consideration at this time, but that could be subject to change, she said. Earlier this year the school board had raised the possibility that Greenwood Elementary might close.

Facilities plan required
The 10-year Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan is required by the West Virginia School Building Authority and the West Virginia Department of Education.

The committee that makes the facilities recommendations to the board consists of central office personnel, school administrators, teachers, service personnel, town and county officials and business and community members.

A 10-year school facilities plan can include school construction, consolidations, renovation projects, closings, additions, roof replacements and other building needs. It is a document that lists current and future building projects.

A living document
The facilities plan is not written in stone and is meant to be a living document, said School Treasurer Nancy White. It will change over the years. Each year the school system will have to revise the plan, she said.

For more information about the facilities plan, call the school board office at 304-258-2430.