That total represents $25 million in renovations and additions at existing public schools plus an estimated $16 million for a county government complex and a public safety building.
The school report represents the results of a facilities needs survey that school districts are required to prepare every five years for the State Department of Public Instruction and does not include needs for new school buildings.
The Moore County Board of Education is presently developing a plan for new school construction and renovations, which could reach $150 million.
The Moore County Board of Commissioners accepted both reports with relative calm during a Monday night board meeting, probably because they were expecting the high estimates and also because no immediate action was being requested on either matter.
“It gets a little scary,” said Steve Allan, the private facilities need consultant who has been working for the county in the past two years.
Allan was describing his observations of traffic around the historic courthouse in downtown Carthage.
Admitting that he always mails in his tax payments, Allan said he was surprised at the large number of Moore County residents who visit the courthouse to pay their property taxes in person each year. His observation was made during tax season.
He was responding to a question from Commissioner Tim Lea, who wanted to know how the county could justify expenditure of $16 million when existing facilities are still operational.
Allan cited “a lot of inefficiency,” lost time and lost money traveling from building to building, environmental conditions in buildings, convenience and level of service to the public.
“This building isn’t going to last forever,” Allan said of the old courthouse, erected in the early 1920s. “You can do it, or your grandkids will do it.”
Allan said that none of the older buildings complies with state building code requirements and warned that eventually the state will require an upgrade of the old courthouse, either its closure or installation of a new elevator that travels to all levels. The present elevator does not travel to the top floor.
In his study, Allan recommended striking changes in the use of facilities in and near the historic courthouse with two new buildings to be erected on county-owned property in the Carriage Oaks complex, adjacent to the Department of Social Services building.
His study covered 19 buildings occupied by 35 departments and agencies in the county seat. In addition to the old courthouse, the Courts Facility and the Currie Building, two other small buildings on Ray Street, across from the Currie Building, are used by the finance and child support agencies.
His recommendations include moving the sheriff’s department from the basement of the Courts Facility into a new Public Safety Building and turning the entire basement over to the clerk of court staff. Administration, tax, personnel, environmental health, planning, finance and other county offices would be moved to the new government building at Carriage Oaks.
Under his plan, the Register of Deeds offices would remain in the present location in a building large enough to accommodate growth. It is located across the street from the historic courthouse and the Courts Facility, a proximity that is convenient for many clients.
Allan pointed out that the tax department staff is scattered on all four levels of the courthouse, from the basement to the top floor. This physical scattering makes for inefficiency by the staff and inconvenience to visitors, he said.
Cost of the government building was projected at an estimated $8.4 million, including construction and site development. He used $140 per square foot as the basis of the $7 million-plus construction cost estimate for a building of almost 50,000 square feet.
The public safety structure would cost an estimated $7 million-plus. This building would become home for the sheriff’s department, emergency management and related functions now housed in the Currie Building.
Allan said that the location at Carriage Oaks has the advantage of using county-owned land, preserves the Veterans Memorial under construction nearby and retains the Department of Social Services in its present site.
“It’s doable,” Allan said.
Board Chairman David J. Cummings admitted that the price tag would also be high.
“That’s a considerable amount of money,” Cummings said.
Cummings said he and the other four commissioners are well aware of the traffic hazards at the Courthouse Square, a circle that routes travelers around the courthouse along state Highways 22-24-27, including many heavy trucks.
“I’m amazed that somebody hasn’t had an accident on the stairs,” Cummings added of the interior of the courthouse.
“What would we do with all these empty buildings around Carthage?” asked Commissioner Virginia Saunders.
Allan replied that the courthouse could still be used for meetings and other public functions but had no suggestions for use of the Currie Building.
Commissioner Colin McKenzie brought up the question of the proposed Carthage bypass and wanted to know if the Carriage Oaks site would be affected when the N.C. Department of Transportation gets around to constructing a bypass of N.C. 24-27.
Allan said he was unaware of the bypass.
However, the bypass is far into the future and the route is expected to travel north of the site, the commissioners decided.
“The energy cost in this building is incredible,” said County Manager Steve Wyatt, who expressed the opinion that a new building would be much more energy-efficient.
The commissioners thanked Allan for his report but took no action on his proposals.
No action was required upon presentation of the school facilities need survey findings, but the board did thank Superintendent Susan Purser for her work. Purser told the board that the school system is in the process of developing a master plan and that the report presented to the commissioners simply reflects the results of a required survey.
Florence Gilkeson can be reached at 947-4962 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.
