Clarksville Middle School will not be left behind in the Howard County School System’s fiscal 2007 capital budget.
During a Saturday public hearing in Ellicott City on the school system’s operating and capital budgets attended by more than 100 people, three County Council members announced that they would fund an additional $3 million toward renovations for the school, which was built in 1979 and is one of the oldest within the school system.
“We’ve been committed toward restoring the money for this project,” said Council Member Kenneth Ulman, D-District 4, said after the two-hour hearing.
Ulman said the plan to fund Clarksville involves transferring $3 million in the county’s capital budget from the Banneker Fire Station replacement project to the School Board’s budget. He said he “remains fully committed to the Banneker project,” but said “because a site for the replacement station has not yet been identified, the transfer will not postpone construction.”
The transfer is also supported by Council Members Guy Guzzone, D-District 3; and Calvin Ball, D-District 2; as well as County Executive James Robey. Council Members Christopher Merdon, R-District 1; Charles Feaga, R-District 5, and county Fire Chief Joseph Herr could not be reached.
School Board Chairman Joshua Kaufman said he was “thrilled” to hear the news.
“We’re still shy $600,000, but we’re going forward,” he said.
A total of $6.7 million is needed to fund Phase 1 of the Clarksville project, according to the school system’s capital budget. In addition to a cafeteria expansion, the renovation includes modernizing lighting, electrical, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
