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November 20, 2003 Page 296 The Board of Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus met in recessed session in the Board Room at the Cabarrus County Education Center, 4501 Old Airport Road, Concord, North Carolina, on Thursday, Noven%ber 20, 2003, at 6:30 p.m. Present - Chairman: Robert M. Freeman Vice Chairman: Richard D. Suggs Commissioners: Carolyn B. Carpenter Robert W. Carruth Coy C. Privette Also present were Mr. .John D. Day, Coun.ty Manager; Mr. Fletcher L. Hartsell, Jr., County Attorney; Mr. Mike Downs, Deputy County Manager for Operations; Ms. Pam Dubois, Finance Director; Mr. Jonathan Marshall, Commerce Director; Mr. Steve Little, Parks and Recreation Director; and Mrs. Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to the Board. Following a social, Chairman Freeman called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Mrs. Grace Mynatt, Chair of the Cabarrus County Board of Education, welcomed the Board of Commissioners and officials from the municipalities of Concord, Mt. Pleasant and Harrisburg to the meeting with the Board of Education to discuss education concerns. She stated the problem of meeting school facility needs is a community problem and stressed the need for all to work together to solve that problem. Dr. Harold Winkler, School Superintendent, addressed the past growth in the schools and the continuing need for new schools. He stated the school system is expected to grow by 6,000 students in the next five years. Dr. Winkler also commented on the importance of the community working together to address the problems associated with school growth. Mr. Jim Amendum, Assistant School Superintendent, presented the 15-Year Facility Plan, including a construction timeline for new or replacement schools for the period 2003-2018, enrollment versus capacity for County schools, core capacities for existing schools and projected final average daily membership. Further, he listed the following critical needs over the next five years at an estimated cost of approximately $139.2 million and reviewed additional facility needs and consequences if the critical facility needs are not addressed. CRITICAL FACILITY NEEDS Construction Opening Start Date Date July 2004 July 2006 July 2004 July 2007 July 2005 July 2007 July 2005 July 2007 Jan. 2006 July 2008 July 2006 July 2008 July 2007 July 2009 Facility & Approximate Location Harris Rd. Elementary - Middle School Property High School - Southwest Location Elementary School- Northwest Location (close Odell) A. T. Allen Elementary - replacement Middle School - West/central Location Elementary School - Southwest Location Elementary School - West/central Location Additional Facility Needs 1. Completion of Athletic Facilities at middle schools and J. Robinson School 2. Concord High School Media Center 3. Northwest High School - refurbish Science Labs 4. Mount Pleasant Middle School - Remodel 5. Coltrane-Webb Elementary School - Remodel old building High Consequences If Critical Facility Needs Are Not Addressed 1. Purchase and setup of at least 77 additional mobile units at a cost of at least $3 million. 4425 students will be housed in mobiles (using average of 25 per unit). 2. Land and construction costs will continue to escalate. The costs of delayed schools will be much higher than if they're built on schedule. 3. Students are not secure in mobile units. 4. Many school sites will not be approved for the number of mobiles required. This problem will require redistricting of some students to sites having space for mobiles.