Carolina Journal’s Dan Way reports here on efforts by some Wake County commissioners to ensure that construction of new schools is done in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.
After the General Assembly earlier this year failed to enact legislation that would shift control of school building construction and ownership from the school district to the county commission, the Wake County Board of Commissioners voted 4-3 Monday along partisan lines to approve an interlocal agreement with the Wake County Public School System to reach that same aim.
Debate on the measure grew sharp at times. Minority Democrats contended the pact would worsen existing tensions with the school board. Majority Republicans insisted they were not pursuing a power grab or an ultimatum, but instead attempting a joint effort to be prudent stewards of $983 million in school construction bonds.
A separate controversy emerged during the public comment period when Raleigh contractor Keith Harrod asserted that the school board “is completely ignoring both the letter and the spirit” of state statutes requiring a transparent competitive bidding process.
Republican Commissioner Tony Gurley defended the interlocal agreement. “This is not asking for any new legislative authority, this is simply a request to engage the school system under current legislative authority to allow the County Commission to cooperate with this program,” Gurley said.
“Our responsibility to the taxpayers is to get the best value for the money. We’re looking at spending almost $1 billion over the next few years. I believe that the taxpayers will be better served having two boards working together on this new construction program,” Gurley said.
Under the agreement, Gurley said, “the school board shall give due consideration to requesting the county by resolution to assume responsibility for some or all of the owning, siting, acquiring, constructing, equipping, expanding, improving, repairing, and renovating the property.”
