Upshur County school system returns $882,625 SBA grant

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (WBOY) — The Upshur County school system has rescinded a West Virginia School Building Authority (SBA) grant awarded in 2022 for renovations at Tennerton Elementary School.

The SBA conducted a special meeting on Monday. Attached to the meeting agenda was a letter from Superintendent of Schools Christy Miller requesting that the grant agreement be rescinded because of the failure of an excess levy in May and the ongoing state takeover of Upshur County schools.

“While understanding giving money granted back is not in our best interests, we do not currently have the funds to cover this full project ourselves,” Miller wrote. “It is hoped as Upshur County works through the state takeover process we will be able to come back to the authority with a more comprehensive look at the needs that exist and have the backing of funding to support our contribution.”

The Major Improvement Project (MIP) grant, awarded in July of 2022, would have covered the cost of a new sprinkler system and a new safe schools entry into the building. The grant would also have replaced a 42-year-old modular building with a new kindergarten classroom and Pre-K inside the main school building.

The total project had an estimated cost of $1,682,625 with $800,000 set to come from local and other funds.

According to the SBA’s website , an MIP grant is designated to address major improvements in existing facilities that are not fundable through local maintenance budgets. MIP grant awards must be between $50,000 and $1 million.

In May of 2024, Upshur County voters rejected the excess levy by 53.34% to 46.66%.

The Upshur County school system has been under state control since June 2023 after an investigation into former school officials’ spending, particularly in relation to federal COVID-19 grant spending.

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