Horry Schools has a plan to increase funds for building projects. What’s first?
Horry County Schools is looking to kick-start its somewhat dormant building project program, thanks in part to an influx of federal funds, starting with the replacement of a Conway-area middle school.
The district has been mostly sitting on a list of building project priorities since the board established that list in late 2018 because it didn’t have enough money to pursue most of them without raising taxes or borrowing, which were both ruled out.
Aside from replacing the Horry County Education Center, now called SOAR Academy, and purchasing more modular classrooms, district officials were planning to wait until at least 2024, when voters can renew the penny sales tax, before replacing or building any new schools.
The board reevaluated the position, however, during Monday’s joint facilities and finance committee meeting, moving forward with a funding plan that includes using federal CARES Act funds on existing projects to free up money and unassigned fund balance, adding up to more than $100 million through the 2023-24 school year.
First on the list of major projects district officials want to tackle with these funds is replacing the Whittemore Park Middle School at a projected cost of up to $58 million. The land for the new building has already been purchased on El Bethel Road with plans to build a school that will accommodate up to 1,200 students, according to Joe Burch, HCS planning coordinator.
The current building, on Rhue Street, dates back to the 1950s, when it was initially the all-black Whittemore High until integrating with Conway High School in 1970.
Other potential projects Burch recommended included preliminary site work for two future new elementary schools in the Carolina Forest attendance area and transitioning the high school stadiums to artificial turf fields.
Board member Helen Smith suggested reevaluating the district’s priority list given that about half of the current board members, including herself, wasn’t on the board when that list was created. Board member Neil James, who serves as facilities chairman, responded that the full board could come to that decision in the future if it wanted.
