KENANSVILLE — Duplin County Schools maintenance director Bobby Norwood came before the county commissioners to request using some of the previously appropriated high school athletic funds for construction at North Duplin.

In action by the Duplin County Board of Education earlier this month, members approved the construction of an auxiliary locker room and multi-purpose building at North Duplin High School.

North Duplin High School had gone through the bid process in order to determine the costs for the construction and Norwood presented the information on behalf of JoAnn Hartley, county schools finance officer, in a goodwill effort to keep the commissioners updated on money appropriated from them and spent by the school system.

According to the information provided by Hartley, North Duplin administrators had been saving the funds they received as their equal share provided from the school board that was equally divided among the four high schools once they received the money from the commissioners. The school had accumulated adequate funding to pay for the low bid of $166,880 from Carr & Carr Builders, Inc. to begin construction as soon as possible. The commissioners gave their approval of the report shared from Hartley and Norwood.

Norwood also took the opportunity to update the board on two other matters related to facilities in the Duplin Schools. The maintenance director shared with the board, for its approval, the application for Public School Building Capital Fund North Carolina Education Lottery money to replace the windows and some renovations at James Kenan and Wallace-Rose Hill high schools. According to the application, the estimated costs will be $584,800 with the project set to begin on Sept. 1; the estimated completion date is Dec. 31.

North Carolina G.S. Chapter 18C provides that a portion of the proceeds of the North Carolina State Lottery Fund be transferred to the Public School Building Capital Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C-545.2 which has been amended to include the following stipulations: No county shall have to provide matching funds; A county may use monies in the Fund to pay for school construction projects in local school administrative units and to retire indebtedness incurred for school construction projects incurred on or after Jan. 1, 2003; and A county may not use monies in this fund to pay for school technology needs. These monies from the Fund have to be utilized at the individual schools in buildings that are used for instructional and related purposes and does not include central administration, maintenance or other facilities.

Norwood assured the commissioners that the funds received would be used to replace existing windows with new insulated windows that would provide a savings on heating and cooling costs as proposed in the application.

The commissioners approved the request and application requesting the release of the $584,800 for the total costs for the construction projects at the two schools.

Finally Norwood said the Duplin Early College High School building on the campus of James Sprunt Community College was complete. “I am thrilled and excited to state that the building was completely ready for the students when they arrived last week. With the exception of some landscaping that had to be delayed due to the weather and the correct ramps being installed the building was set to go for the first day of instruction.” The director noted that the ramps that had been set from the company were the wrong ones and the new and correct ramps were on their way to be completed upon their arrival. “Everyone has been so positive regarding the facility from the board of commissioners that have seen it and the board of education and community college representatives that have toured the building. Parents and students were excited to see the new facility and were eager to get the school experience under way.” Norwood added that currently plans are being made between the community college and the county schools to hold a public open house for all to see the new facility.

To contact Billy Todd, call 910-592-8137 ext. 117 or e-mail sigeneral@myclintonnc.com.