Elkin Schools find savings on repairs

The Surry County Board of Commissioners on Monday heard of two recent renovation projects that surprisingly both came in under their projection.

Elkin City Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Hall made a request to the commissioners to reallocate unused funds for another project and was approved.

During a time when construction and material costs continue to rise, the system found savings on a walk-in cooler project at Elkin Elementary. The project was budgeted $60,000 but was completed for $51,359 which left $8,640 lying on the table.

Hall also reported a tank removal project, also at Elkin Elementary, took a detour and went in another direction due to a recommendation by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

Due to the complexity of removing the tank, state officials recommended that the school system clean the tank and fill it with “an inert material rather than move it completely.”

Hall said that work was completed as per the recommendation for a cost of $12,987 versus the allocation of $49,750, a difference of $36,762.

“That project came in well under budget which rarely happens as we all know,” Hall said acknowledging the novelty of construction or repair projects in an era of higher inflation coming in under projection.

Hall asked the board to reallocate the remaining balances on the two projects into a roof project fund. He said the total of completed roof projects was $210,181 versus the county’s allotment of $170,900. That left $39,281 that had to be covered, which is less than the $45,403 the combined savings yielded.

The difference of over $6,100 was not addressed, the implication being Hall was granted permission to move all remaining funds to the roof project fund.

Commissioner Eddie Harris said the request looked straightforward to him, adding, “We’ve done several different actions on these reallocations of funds, and we don’t have a set policy in this regard. I’m inclined to support this: a roof’s pretty serious business.”

“We appreciate you being good stewards of money, all our school systems,” Chair Van Tucker said. “It’s not like we get a kick bringing you back when you have some left over money, nor do we want you to encourage you to figure out every way to spend every last dime — we want something in the middle, and that is spend it as judiciously and wisely.”

“We’re happy to let you use it for the next best project and I think that’s the way it ought to work for school systems and for most county departments,” Tucker added.

Hall took a moment to thank the board for its support and concern as his first year as the new leader of Elkin City School was marred by a traffic accident in April that left both he and his wife injured. A driver fell asleep and lost control of her vehicle, crossing the center line and striking the car the Halls were in.

He advised that they had just recently spent their first night in their new home in Elkin and it felt good “having a two-minute drive to work instead of coming down the mountain.”

In other board news,

- The board approved various appointments to boards and committees that included the addition of Bradley Key of Surry County Parks and Recreation to the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council. Key will take the place of Parks and Recreation Director Daniel White on the council.

Kelly Merritt, Lisa Darisse, and Jonathan Bledsoe were all appointed to the Northern Regional Library Board for six year terms.

Commissioner Eddie Harris nominated Tina Johnson to represent Mount Airy on the Surry Community College Board of Trustees.

Commissioner Larry Johnson spoke up in support of Johnson saying she is “an outstanding community servant and will do a great job.” Her nomination was approved, and she will serve a four-year term.

- The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners will be holding its Annual Conference in Winston-Salem on August 8 — 10. County Manager Chris Knopf advised the board that unlike previous years, those attending the conference would be able to sleep at home and travel to the event.

Vice Chair Mark Marion accepted the opportunity to represent the Surry County Board of Commissioners this year.