Croft: Library Funding Savings Going to Bond Projects Around Ohio County Schools
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WHEELING -- Ohio County Board of Education President David Croft says the phrase "cost overruns" "may be too strong," but he admits it is costing more than expected to complete what was anticipated to be $76 million in property improvement projects across Ohio County Schools.
Those costs were a reason the board voted Monday to decrease the amount it contributes to fund the Ohio County Library. That decision came on a 3-2 vote. Croft, Molly Aderholt and Christine Carder all voted in favor, with Pete Chacalos and Grace Norton voting against.
The amount will drop from three cents to two cents per $100 of assessed county property value. Croft said this drops the school district's contribution by about 33% -- from about $884,547 a year to $589,698.
Money saved is earmarked for filling in where needed with bond projects.
Voters approved a $42.2 million bond issue in 2018 to help fund the school improvement projects, and the language for the bond call was crafted in 2017. Since that time construction costs -- especially for plywood -- have increased, according to Croft.
"The estimates were done when we did the bond call," he said. "The cost of materials have gone up, and there have been cost escalations that have caused us to look back and make sure projects can be completed.
"Are they costing more? In some instances, yes," he added. "Do we have concerns as other projects get underway? Yes. We are doing all we can to maximize projects for students and the community."
Once those projects are completed, Croft said the board could revisit the library funding.
"We can restore the funding if the board determines it is appropriate," Croft said.
Further complicating expenditures and bond projects was a delay in funding for Ohio County Schools from the West Virginia School Building Authority.
The SBA had promised the school district $27 million once the bond was passed in 2018, and the first $9 million installment was received in December 2018. The remaining $18 million wasn't allocated until just this month.
"We went through two cycles without receiving SBA dollars," Croft said. "Projects got pushed down the road. And when projects got pushed down the road -- and these were large ones -- the cost tends to escalate over time."
SBA-funded projects include those at the Warwood School, Wheeling Middle School, Bethlehem Elementary School, Elm Grove Elementary School, Middle Creek Elementary School and Woodsdale Elementary School.
Croft said costs also increased because, after construction began, additional needs were discovered, and it was a logical choice to address them while construction was happening.
"For example, revamping the locker room at the high school was not part of the scope of the work planned," he explained. "But after we saw it needed done, it made sense to do it now."
Croft said there were also increases in cost for some construction materials, such as plywood, that no one expected. Some of this was due to the COVID pandemic, and resulting delays in the supply chain.
He wouldn't answer when asked if someone might have "dropped the ball" in determining costs and setting a budget for projects in the district..
"It's hard to determine if someone missed the mark with some of these costs," he said. "What we do know is that costs have escalated since the start of the projects, and we have to bridge that gap."