The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Monday refused to finance the purchase of a Falls Church office building that school officials hope to turn into new administrative space.
The vote is a sign that supervisors, despite pledges to join forces with the School Board to help close a joint $430 million budget shortfall next fiscal year, remain at odds with their counterparts on some major spending issues.
School officials want to use the Gatehouse Road building, which sits behind their existing headquarters, to consolidate existing offices, and convert the empty buildings into elementary schools, said School Board Chairman Dan Storck.
The Board of Supervisors invoked closed-meeting provisions in the Virginia Freedom of information Act to discuss the $52 million project behind closed doors on Monday, after which it emerged to shoot down the School Board’s proposal.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity declined to offer details of the closed-meeting discussion, but said he has reservations about the cost of the structure — which he said is millions more than it was a few years ago. He also questioned the need for new office space as the local government contemplates budget cuts.
“Buying additional administrative space while we’re talking about reducing head count doesn’t make any sense at all,” he said.
Storck said he needs to study more closely the ramifications of the board’s vote, but said he doesn’t believe it kills the purchase.
The School Board had asked supervisors to take out economic development bonds to pay for the building, which would be reimbursed by the school system. The move would free up money in the schools’ operating budget in coming years, he said.
“Applying this would give us more money in 2010, 2011 and 2012 to spend on kids,” he said.
