GREENSBORO, N.C. — Guilford County Schools says it needs $2 billion dollars as part of a master plan to rebuild, renovate, and revitalize the district. The plan is so extensive - it's hard to know where to start when thinking of all the work that needs to be done.
On Thursday morning, County Commissioners met with members of the School Board in a joint planning committee, to discuss their options for funding the proposal and splitting up the work into phases.
Everyone agreed on two points: that many of the Guilford County School buildings are in serious disrepair, and that they'll need to move quickly and finalize a plan, to fix them.
"This is not an issue that we can sort of stretch out indefinitely, as some would say kick the can down the road into the future without dealing with it," said Commission Chair Jeff Phillips.
"I know that there are people across the community who know this is important, and know that for our teachers and our kids and for our economic development, that we need to move quickly," said Board member Winston McGregor.
The consulting firm - Cooperative Strategies - proposed two phases in the $2 billion overhaul, focusing on rebuilding in phase one - taking care of the worst buildings first. County and school leaders asked the firm Thursday to look into a three-phase plan as well.
"We asked for an additional phase to be considered in terms of how we will approach this very critical, super important endeavor when it comes to underserved facilities within Guilford County school system," Phillips said.
Right now, officials estimate each phase could likely take five years, but it's still contingent on securing the funding to make it all happen.
"The notion of phasing in a bond referendum on the ballot is the more likely scenario," Phillips said.
McGregor says down the road, this will mean multiple projects underway at the same time, to get all the improvements done.
"This is not going to happen in this A, B, C, D [process]," she said, "There's going to be things that have to happen in concentric spinning circles, or in parallel tracks. We're going to have to have an appetite for that."
The committee will meet again next month on January 21st at 9 a.m., following a January 16th Commissioners meeting.
