New State Legislation Could Give County Oversight Of CMS Buildings

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by Kirk Hawkins
Bio | Email | Follow: @kirkhawkins by Tim Mullican, Photographer

Story Created: Mar 14, 2013 at 8:48 PM EDT

Story Updated: Mar 14, 2013 at 10:07 PM EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--Five years ago, Mecklenburg County obtained the Walton Plaza Education Center in Uptown Charlotte in exchange for more than 13 million dollars worth of land and property. Former Commissioner Jennifer Roberts helped secure the complex deal. "It's this delicate balance between school board authority and county authority," Roberts said.

That 2007 swap is similar to the kind of thing a bill working its way through the North Carolina Senate is trying to prevent. Right now, if the county wants a school or building that C.M.S. is vacating, the county must buy back the property it already bought, essentially using taxpayer dollars for the same thing twice. The bill would give the county control of all CMS properties. "If the schools don't need a building anymore, to repurpose it, the county should not have to pay a second time to have that asset," Roberts said.

Critics say the bill would introduce an unnecessary bureaucracy to determine which communities get new schools. "While there might be a need for that type of legislation in some part  of our state, we don't  believe that is needed in Charlotte Mecklenburg School District and in our community," Morrison said.

A new school is set for construction in two years to relieve crowded Hickory Grove Elementary in East Charlotte. Roberts says its one of many projects put on hold for years that could get caught in the middle of this new debate. "I hope that we can clear it up soon, I hope that they can get back on their building program," Roberts said.

This debate comes at an interesting time for CMS. Superintendent Heath Morrison is working with the School Board on a 10 year construction and renovation plan. It's set to be released March 26.

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