PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
The Lawrence County Schools Local Planning Meeting occurred on November 3, 2022, in the Louisa West Elementary School with a public forum beginning at 5:00 PM. Dr. Robbie Fletcher, Superintendent of Lawrence County Schools, led guests on a tour of the Louisa West Elementary School.
There were discussions of the building’s sloped hallway floors, plumbing in the restrooms, electrical conduit design, roof leaks, heating and cooling costs, along with many other problematic issues. The LC Schools Local Planning Committee feels the sincere necessity to build a new Louisa West Elementary School. The state also agrees with this determination, particularly since the estimate to remodel the old building would cost approximately 82% of the construction of a new school.
The regular LC Schools Local Planning Committee meeting began at 5:35 PM, and Mr. Matthew Maynard, LWES Principal and LPC Chairman, called the meeting to order.
There was an open discussion about the current draft of the LPC plan.
The committee decided to add new bleachers to Blaine Elementary School, Fallsburg Elementary School, and Louisa East Elementary School into the current plan. The architects of Ross Tarrant will formerly add those needs to the current plan. The committee found the rest of the plan’s content to be correct and complete.
Along with many other district-wide facility needs, the district facilities plan that has been submitted to the state includes a change in the grade structure in LC Schools.
The plan has Blaine and Fallsburg transitioning to P-6 buildings, with potential cafeteria and/or gymnasium additions.
The plan also includes a new Louisa West that preschool through 2nd grade with Louisa East having Grades 3 through 6.
Louisa Middle would become Lawrence County Middle School with Grades 7 and 8 only, while LCHS will continue to include Grades 9 through 12. According to Dr. Fletcher, this would allow more career technical-type offerings for all middle school students because all 7th and 8th-grade students would be on Bulldog Lane with our high school.
Mr. Paul Christy, KY School Plant Managers Association, discussed the next steps of the planning process.
The district facilities plan will be sent for submission to KDE (Kentucky Department of Education) for review. Once the review is complete, the plan will be returned to the LC Schools Planning Committee. Mr. Christy explained that the LC Schools Local Planning Committee’s next meeting day and time cannot be set until the LPC plan has been reviewed and returned by the KDE. Once these steps have occurred, LC Schools Local Planning Committee will announce the meeting place, day, and time for the next appointed LC Schools LPC meeting.
Ms. Frasier brought forward a question to determine the need for a two-nickel tax, or double-nickel tax, in building a new Louisa West Elementary School.
Dr. Fletcher explained that a double nickel tax would allow Lawrence County Schools to receive extra state funding to build the new school.
According to multiple state legislators, if Lawrence County Schools do not receive the extra double nickel tax funds, the state will not provide the matching funds for the building of the new school. LC Schools can only receive the matching state funding, in conjunction with a single or double-nickel tax going forward.
Also, with the rise of construction costs, building materials costs, and labor the LC Schools cannot build a new school without the help of extra state funding. The double nickel tax is estimated at $100 per every $100,000 of owned property.
The Lawrence County Board of Education will vote to make a determination toward the tax at a later date. (For clarification, an addition of one nickel in the property tax will not cover the estimates of a new building along with the purchase and preparation of the property for a new school. Construction costs have increased tremendously since the COVID shutdown occurred.)
Dr. Fletcher offered to take guests that were not present during the public forum on a tour of Louisa West after the closure of the meeting. The meeting was adjourned by Mr. Matthew Maynard, LWES principal, with a motion and second from the floor.
The next Lawrence County Schools Local Planning Meeting will be announced, once the submitted LC Schools Local Planning Committee plan has been returned from KDE.
For More Information:
Sarah Gauze, Public Relations Coordinator
Lawrence County School District
Sarah.gauze@lawrence.kyschools.us
606-939-3326
Need to send this guy back to Martin County
There’s no way the tax will pass if put to a vote on a ballot. I said it once and I’ll keep saying it, this board is not transparent. A lot of shady dealings goes on with them. The high school was built years ago without a tax. The middle school was built in the nineties without a tax. What the heck is any different now? Also you’re dead wrong on materials. Material cost is down right now. Has anyone looked at any bill they receive. They all have a school tax. Property tax has a school tax. Insurance has a school tax. Everything has a school tax. Find another way and spend your money WISELY. I’ve been around a long time in this county and this board is BY FAR THE WORST.
No chance buddy.
You took a 15% raise.
You have teachers/staff 1%.
You have no support.
Wait! What? How do you know he took a 15% raise? I want to see this.
He wants to raise taxes, but won’t give teachers and staff a raise. Inflation is killing us and he wants to raise our taxes? Shows what he thinks of the people of LC.
You got that right teachers got 1% but however the others got a measly.25 cents pathetic with inflation and we don’t barely make anything with way things are now. Now there wanting more and more. We need the big petitions to sign against this tax rate.
KEGS you’re so smart. I agree.
You’re right! Who wants good things for their children anyhow?
I am offended. I believe we need at least a quarter tax. Pony up the dough KAG. Everyone want to be cheap and stingy. I am offended.
Did they really need a million dollar girls softball building? Times are tough and to many people doing without.
Is Fletcher our new county Judge or carter.hmmmm
How many times do they have to be told no? I agree with John. This is suspect. Now they want double the money. Build it the old fashioned way if you want it. Everyone who wants it, get to work. Nickel taxes are deceiving. They can and will raise your taxes any time they want to. Even the name of the tax is deceiving because it sure isn’t a nickel. People are tired of being taxed everywhere. Didn’t a certain tea tax spark a certain revolution?
This man makes $130,000 a year. Teachers are around 30 to 40,000 , teachers aides make 13,000 and custodians that’s been there 25 years make 24,000. Let’s see Fletcher do the work his staff has to do and see if he could handle it…this county needs to step in and drop thIs man’s tax the poor ideas..
He has got to go, along with the board. Yes, we want our kids to have a nice school, but raising our taxes during a time when people are already hurting and struggling is just plain selfish and not the answer. The problem is the way the state has set the protocol for districts to get those matched funds. Let’s work to change that.
I don’t figure Blaine and Fallsburg parents will be silent on this plan to bring 7th and 8th grade students in to town.