LINDA PAYNE

If the passion and excitement expressed Tuesday at William Lenoir Middle School is indicative of the county's support for a new middle school, a 10-year dream may soon become a reality.

Parents, students, teachers and members of the community filled the gymnasium to the point of standing-room only to show their support for building a new middle school. Those in attendance relayed concerns about the financial side of the project - such as where the money is coming from and what the school system would do if the Caldwell County Board of Commissioners said "no" - but their top priority throughout the meeting was to discover what can be done to move the project along.

"These public forums are a great start, but what can we be doing to help move this project along," said one woman. "I used to work at this school and enjoyed every moment in this building, but now is the time to move forward. I want nothing more than to see my grandchildren attend a new modern school."

Caldwell County Superintendent Dr. Steve Stone and Assistant Superintendent of Auxiliary Services Dr. Jeff Church addressed many of the concerns during their 15-minute presentation. They addressed the need for a new school because WLMS is at capacity and growing. They said that the school system has the funds, which means it can be done at no cost to the taxpayer. In fact, Stone compared the reality of this project to that of a perfect storm.

"Now is the right time to complete this project because we believe we can build a state-of-the-art middle school for less than $20 million," Stone said. "Because of the current state of the economy, we are seeing the lowest interest rates we have seen in years and with a lot of companies looking for projects, it is a very competitive market for bids right now. In addition, the school system has the money to do this, and we truly believe it would be a boost to our local economy."

Stone and Church said the plan is to use state funding for the project, including lottery money, sales tax refunds and the capital fund balance, which currently has a little more than $7.7 million in it. He noted that the school system would handle the project on its own, but it is not allowed to borrow money.

That is where the partnership with the county commissioners comes in.

"We are asking the county to borrow the money in our name so that we may invest in the future of our middle-school students," Stone said. "I don't think it will take too much convincing, but that is where the community can get involved. We are trying to develop our plan so that the moment we get the green light from the commission, we can move forward.

Several members of the Board of Commissioners were present Tuesday, including Don Barrier, Ron Beane and Rob Bratcher. While none of them gave a specific answer - especially when Stone jokingly called for a vote - all said they are actively working in the process of seeing the project happen.

"I think it is safe to say that our intent is to make this happen," Bratcher said. "Before we make that commitment, we need to make sure the right plan is in place so that the needs of all of our students are being met. We don't want this new facility to jeopardize what is going on elsewhere in the county. It is our responsibility to maintain a complete school system and we are committed to that.

"I certainly believe that a new school is doable, we just need to make sure the money is there so we don't sacrifice instruction for a new facility."

Barrier shared those sentiments and said commissioners are working closely with the school board. They are developing school plans and seeing exactly what it will take to see the new school take shape.

"I know the school system has been talking about this project for a quite a long time, and I want the community to know that we are a lot closer than we ever have been," he said. "We are excited to be working on this project and to see a new middle school come to fruition."

As people began to make their way to the exits, many community members and school board members alike said they were pleased with the way the meeting went and felt that some of the questions and concerns had been appropriately addressed. They said there were excited to see such a great turnout - especially on a dreary night - but felt that real progress had been made.

"I am quite overwhelmed with tonight's turnout," said School Board member Tim Hawkins. "I have a vested interested in this project not only from the perspective of a school board member, but also because I have children who are in this district. I am excited to see the support of this community and look forward to the remaining meetings to see what others have to say."

Two additional community forums have been scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 19 and Tuesday, Dec. 1. Both meetings are at 6 p.m. in the Hibriten High School media center. For more information, contact the Caldwell County Education Center at (828) 728-8407.

"I think the emergency and dedication to this project is stronger than ever," said Dr. Helen Hall, School Board vice chairman. "I think there is tremendous support for this project and I think the community is aware of the importance of what we are trying to accomplish. We look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming meetings and continuing this dialogue."