With W. Salisbury school on hold, questions and outrage

Six hours after newly minted Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver was sworn into office, West Salisbury Elementary School was the first place to feel the effects of his fiscal conservatism.

At Tuesday's county council meeting, the Republican executive cut bond funding for the construction of a new West Salisbury Elementary School from the county's capital improvement plan.

The $1.25 million bond was one of three cut from the plan. A $1.8 million bond for construction of Westside Collector Road and $1 million for renovations to the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center were also dropped.

The school, first built in 1964, was said to have the worst quality of facilities out of all of the county's 27 schools by a Facilities Task Force.

The 310-student school is said to have structural issues and is one of two schools in Wicomico County without air conditioning.

Inside the typical mild-tempered chambers of county council, tensions were high between Culver's presentation, council's comments and the community's outrage.

The Reaction

Culver said in speaking with Md. Gov.-elect Larry Hogan, he "does not know how much (Hogan's) going to put toward building more schools."

"I'm asking that we have time to step back," Culver added.

Councilman Joe Holloway took it a step further, adding that he also talked to Hogan, who advised him that holding the bond was a "good idea."

"We have other schools that need renovations," Holloway added.

The resolution, which if not passed would've canceled all bond sales for the county, seemingly fractured the majority Republican council over the decision.

Ernest Davis, the lone Democrat on the council representing District 1, spoke out the most vocally against the measure.

"For West Salisbury, it has been put on the back burner for several years," Davis said.

John Cannon, the newly appointed council president, was quick to reiterate that the Wicomico County Council cannot add the project into the capital improvement plan.

"I have faith this council is putting this on hold," Cannon said.

Matt Holloway, now the council vice president, asked county attorney Edgar Baker to clarify that, if the council voted not to pass the resolution, it would effectively kill all bond sales to fund county projects for that year.

Once the public comment portion of the meeting began, there was no shortage of comments against Culver's measure.

Danielle Thomas, who said she worked with children with behavioral issues for the school system, said she was concerned with Culver's choice to prioritize renovations to Arthur W. Perdue Stadium over a new West Salisbury Elementary.

"As a parent, I'm disappointed and disheartened," Thomas said. "As a taxpayer, I'm concerned."

As news began to spread via social media of the decision, others voiced their both support and their displeasure digitally Wednesday morning.

"Dumbest move ever.....as a parent who had a child at that school it doesn't need to be "patched up" It needs to be redone," Alisha Jones said on Facebook in response to a The Daily Times question about the decision. Culver and the council also reviewed the option to outfit the current school with window air conditioner units.

"The staff at that school has done everything possible to ensure that the students are comfortable during the hot and cold temps. Wicomico Co. has money.....why not invest it in our schools?," she added.

Jen Wheatley posted in support of the decision, citing Bennett Middle School's construction as an example of overspending from the county and board of education.

"A smart way to save! Bennett was way over budget because they bought everything new. Remodeling and using desks and chairs you already have will work!" Wheatley said.

Board of Education president Ronald Willey said when he initially heard of the cancellation of the bond, he believed it to be only an unsubstantiated rumor.

"All of this has taken us by surprise," Willey said, adding that the construction of a new West Salisbury Elementary School was the starting block for the board's long-term plans to redistrict where county students would go to school.

The long-term effect

The new West Salisbury Elementary school would've been one of the first schools to begin the reallocation of students into pre-kindergarten through fifth grade elementary schools.

Part of the school system's major restructuring plan, some questioned the school system's overall plan and its fiscal responsibility, including current council member Larry Dodd.

Dodd, who was then on the Board of Education and running for county council, said in October he didn't believe the county would go for funding the school system's overall plan, including the West Salisbury project.

"This is a five-year plan and I don't see it happening," Dodd said. "It's going to cost a fortune."

But board members, who have fought with the council in the past for what they feel is inadequate funding from the county level, were out Tuesday to deride the decision along with the parents and school principal Melva Wright.

Board member Kim Hudson approached the decision calm and collectively, congratulating Culver and the newly elected councilmen on their general election day wins, but criticized the resolution.

"Education has to be a top priority in our county," Hudson said, adding the bonds were "money that was already in the capital improvement plan."

Willey added the board would have to go in front of the state Interagency Committee on Public School Construction to reapply for approval from the state and be eligible for state funding, saying "it could be five years before we are approved again."

"I'm not sure we can gain what we lost," Willey added.

pdavis3@gannett.com

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@DT_PhilDavis

310

The 2014 student population at the school.

262

The approximate number of students receiving free or reduced cost meals in 2014.

$26,421,001

The estimated cost to the county to replace the school.

Reporter's Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the total cost to the county to build a new elementary school.