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Blount County school board members Thursday requested a $12,755,779 total appropriation for Prospect Elementary School.

Blount County Finance Director Dave Bennett presented board members with estimated totals for the school construction project during November’s regular monthly meeting.

Bennett told school board members they will also have to award all the project’s hard bids.

County officials intend to apply for the low- or no-interest loans being offered by the Tennessee State School Bond Authority (TSSBA) from the proceeds of Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB), he said. The bonds can be used to build new schools or to rehabilitate and repair existing schools.

County officials spent $13.8 million to build, furnish and equip Union Grove Elementary School, Bennett said. Prospect Elementary School’s total cost is estimated at $13,422,294.

Substantial savings

County and school officials have actually saved nearly $1.3 million on Prospect Elementary School, Bennett said. The school construction project includes many items not included in previous projects such as $500,000 for contingency costs and a geothermal heating and air conditioning system estimated at $433,000.

School board members asked for clarification on Bennett’s savings estimate. They asked if his estimate included:

An estimated $256,000 in interactive whiteboards and system peripherals for all classrooms;

A tornado shelter estimated between $100,000 and $150,000.

Bennett said his estimates didn’t not include items approved by the school board.
School officials said the district has saved $1.7 million when using valid comparisons between Prospect Elementary School and Union Grove Elementary School.

Timeline

Officials have already appropriated $666,515 toward the project. Blount County Commissioners earlier this year approved the reappropriation of these funds, which were left over from a $2 million bond issuance to purchase property for a new school.

School board members will submit a budget recommendation to the Blount County Commission. County officials hope to complete Prospect Elementary School’s up-front work — including site work, concrete and on-site sewer system — by April 2010, Bennett said.

He estimated the initial bond should pay for items through May 1, 2010. No tax increase will be needed to construct the school, Bennett said.