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Bamberg School District One
Superintendent Phyllis
Schwarting addressed Bamberg
Board of Public Works Chairman
Carl Kilgus, Commissioner
Buddy Sandifer, and Manager
Bruce Ellis at the Monday,
November 30th regular meeting
regarding the possible purchase of
land currently owned by the
Board in the event that the March
16th Referendum to fund the
building of new 4K-Grade 6
school passes.
The matter was discussed
with many options in mind,
including the potential for
building on existing school
property, but the request for a
BPW donation of the land
formerly included in a proposed
plan for a new Bamberg Hospital
was denied due to legal
restrictions. Manager Ellis
explained that the land would
need to be sold for the BPW
investment in the property,
approximately $310,000, if it is not to be used for BPW utility
expansion purposes. The BPW is
not legally allowed to donate land
for the proposed school.
Schwarting noted during the
discussion that previous school
plan proposals were “totally out of
line” in the proposed costs, and
expressed hope that the spring
referendum would pass to insure
safe, healthy school environments
for children to learn in.
“This will be a decision that
the people will make,”
Schwarting continued. The
proposed cost is $29 million, and
Bamberg has been awarded the
full $20 million in stimulus
money, with no interest and a 17
year payback period. The other $9
million would be repaid with 35%
of the interest paid each year
through government assistance.
These discussions are preliminary
and will be further explored once
the March 16th school
referendum results are in.
In other business, the BPW
has continued work on the
Bamberg City parking lot located
on Moore Street (formerly Black
Street), adding lighting and
crushed stone, creating
approximately 50 parking spaces
with some fencing and final
touches to follow.
BPW approved a donation of
$200.00 to Shalom Zone Mission
Cottage, and reported a total
November contribution of
$27,750 in cash and In-Kind
services to the City of Bamberg
according to Manager Ellis. |
