SCHOOL BOND 2018

TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

The purpose of this website is to educate the public regarding the school bond referendum in Transylvania County for November 6, 2018. With the passage of the bond, the Board of Education has established a School Bond Construction Committee in conjunction with the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners.

This site will describe the work of that committee and ongoing activity in the design and building of new schools in Brevard and Rosman. All meetings of the School Bond Construction Committee (SBCC) are open to the public, and subject to the North Carolina Open Meetings Law.

There will not be public comment at SBCC meetings, since the Board of Education makes public comment available at regular meetings.

Questions or feedback? Please ask here on the site or call (828) 884-6173.

$68 Million Bond Referendum

Passed By Voters—November 6, 2018

Serving All Students in Transylvania County

SCHOOL BOND CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE

Meetings of the School Bond Construction Committee (SBCC) are open to the public and will be announced in local news media and TCS social media. The public is invited to attend all meetings of the SBCC, and the meetings are subject to the North Carolina Open Meetings Law.

Time will not be made available for public comment, since time for public comment before the full Board of Education is available at their regular meetings.

NEXT MEETINGS:

April 2, 2019: Architectural Firm Interviews, 1:30-5:00 and 6:00-9:30 p.m.
April 4, 2019: CMAR (Construction Manager At Risk) Firm Interviews, 1:30-6:00 p.m.

For complete agendas and minutes of the Transylvania County Board of Education, visit www.tcsnc.org/board.

What Does The Bond Mean For Schools?

Learn about projects covered by the $68 million bond referendum. Chad Roberson, principal architect with Clark Nexsen, appeared on the #TCSYes radio program on WSQL 1240 AM, Q-102 FM at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, October 8, 2018. That 30-minute broadcast will replay Saturday, October 13, 2018 at 9:30 a.m.

The extended conversation with bonus material is only available here on SoundCloud.

#TCSYes Radio Broadcast, October 8, 2018

How Many Schools Will Be Affected?

Construction projects will improve three schools at two campuses: Brevard High School, Rosman High School, and Rosman Middle School.

How Will Property Taxes Be Affected?

An 11-cent increase will more than cover the bond. For a $200,000 house, the estimated impact is $4.23 per week, $18.33 per month, or $220 per year.

How Will Teaching & Learning Be Affected?

New and renovated classrooms and common spaces will be more secure, integrated, innovative, better suited to teaching and learning in the digital age.

School Bond, Behind The Numbers

The last bond in Transylvania County passed over 20 years ago (1997) by a margin of nearly 2-to-1.

The property tax increase for the $24.3 million bond passed in 1997 was 12 cents per $100.
Property taxes rates (not the actual bill) decreased by 27% in 2009. This often occurs in a revaluation year, to soften the impact of increases in property value.
Transylvania County has the 88th lowest tax rate in the state (51.1 cents). The average NC taxpayer pays 80 cents per $100.
A tax increase to finance the 2018 school bond may be as low as 9 cents, if bonds are phased in multiple steps. Even if tax rates increase by 11 cents, Transylvania County will be in the lowest third of all counties in North Carolina for property tax rates.
To estimate conservatively and finish projects on budget, escalation costs (12% per year) are built into the overall cost. The 1997 bond projects were completed under budget, and the surplus was used for needed school furniture.
Construction projects are proposed to start in 2020 and end in 2024-25, over a timetable of 42 to 55 months.
The proposed use of a Construction Manager At Risk (CMAR) means that the cost of the projects cannot increase beyond the budget unless the scope of the projects is changed.
RMS and RHS were renovated in 1999, along with the building of the new BHS Science Wing. Currently, RMS is most in need of remediation on that campus. In Brevard, the Science Wing is one of buildings in the best condition.
It is not mandatory for the same contractor to work on both campuses to complete projects financed by the school bond.

When Our Schools Were Built

Brevard High School, 1959

Rosman High School, 1973

Rosman Middle School, 1949

Brevard Elementary School, 1974

Rosman Elementary School, 1974

Pisgah Forest Elementary School, 1991

T.C. Henderson School of Science & Technology, 1956

Brevard Middle School, 1974

Davidson River School, 1945

Morris Education Center, 1949

Board of Education Meeting Agenda, Oct. 1

On October 1, Clark Nexsen will again present detailed views of BHS, RHS, RMS @ Rosman Media Center, 6:30 p.m.

Detailed Plans Revealed at BHS

On September 24, the Board of Education received proposed inside & outside views. [Transylvania Times, Sept 27, 2018]

See Plans Received Sept. 24 By Board of Ed.

Click here to see the official September 24 agenda for the Board of Education, with PDF downloads of detailed views.

Official Resolution By Board of Education

Official Resolution by Board of Education concerning Bond Referendum on November 6

Public Gets Another Look At School Options

“The Transylvania County Board of Education took several actions regarding the proposed bond...” [Transylvania Times, Sept 20, 2018]

School Board Receives Ideas, Not Final Plans

Opinion Column [Transylvania Times, September 17, 2018]

Looking Back...

The last bond offered in Transylvania County was voted on in 1997

It passed by a margin of nearly 2-to-1. Construction projects funded by the 1997 bond were completed under budget. The surplus was used by Transylvania County Schools for needed furniture and other capital expenses.

Asheville Citizen-Times, November 6, 1997 (accessed via newspapers.com)

Bond passed by voters in 1986

Spending $10.3 million to expand schools was projected to help TCS meet state guidelines for classroom space, and equip the district with enough space for the next 15 years.

Asheville Citizen-Times, September 4, 1986 (accessed via newspapers.com)

Bond rejected by voters in 1970

A projected $4 million bond to consolidate two high schools and build two new elementary schools was rejected in 1970 by a margin of 6-to-5 against the referendum.

Asheville Citizen-Times, September 13, 1970 (accessed via newspapers.com)

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