The Botetourt Board of Supervisors is holding a public hearing Thursday, March 29 to take comments on a proposed $22.5 million bond issue to build a new elementary school in the Blue Ridge area.
The School Board has also scheduled a special meeting at the same time— at 7 p.m.— both at Lord Botetourt High School.
The Botetourt Economic Development Authority (EDA) has already agreed to a purchase option on almost 27 acres that belong to H. Forest and Pejie Murray at 142 Murray Drive, Troutville, the site of the proposed new school. Should the sale be finalized, the EDA will serve as the conduit to purchase the property for $1.1 million for the School Board.
The Board of Supervisors was expected to approve appropriating $502,000 in additional funds to the EDA when it met Tuesday afternoon to be used for purchasing the property.
The School Board has already issued a request for proposals (RFP) for an architectural and engineering study on the Murray property, and has applied to be included in the next Virginia Public School Authority (VPSA) bond issue for construction money.
The supervisors have to approve including the $22.5 million in the VPSA bond issue.
The School Board is proposing to build a new school to replace the 79-year-old Colonial Elementary School.
If approved by the supervisors, the bond issue will allow the school division to acquire the Murray property and start construction so the school could open as early as August 2020.
Superintendent of Schools John Busher said the $22.5 million is a best estimate of the cost of a new elementary school based on calculations the Virginia Department of Education uses.
