A loud and sustained applause erupted from supporters in the room, when at approximately 6:25 p.m., at their Aug. 13 monthly meeting, Macon County Commissioners voted 3-2 to approve financing for construction of the new Franklin High School.
Macon County approved a resolution in July to set a public hearing for August to gather public comment on the proposed financing. Prior to the board meeting, County Manager Derek Roland provided an update to the new high school construction schedule. As a result of being bid out, which involves receiving plans from three or more companies, a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) was produced. Project Construction Manager at Risk, Carroll Daniel Construction, announced a certified GMP at just under $123 million for construction, bringing the overall price for the project to just under $135 million. Additional costs include interior furniture and infrastructure that will be needed within the newly constructed high school. The total price is under the originally approved budget of $137 million.
Prior to voting on the funding, county commissioners received input from the project’s financial advisor, Mitch Brigulio, from Davenport Public Finance. He reported the project will be financed as a Limited Obligation Bond, which means it is secured by the high school itself.
“It is a very typical, common way of financing high school facilities in North Carolina,” said Brigulio.
Once interest rates are set on the bond sale associated with this funding, the actual closing of the sale will occur Sept. 26. The “not to exceed” numbers associated with moving forward on the funding approval were announced as $76.3 million at 5.5% interest.
According to Roland, once Macon County receives a credit rating, currently projected by Aug. 29, approval by the Local Government Commission of the bond sale Sept. 10 will follow. The bond sale will occur Sept. 11.
Commissioner John Shearl, who along with fellow Commissioner Paul Higdon, voted against approval, read a statement prior to the vote: “I feel it is a waste of several buildings that could be re-purposed for other government facilities; I question if there is adequate parking. I feel the current site will be landlocked with no way to expand for future needs, and actually will not provide for the current needs of our high school students and athletes. I feel we are placing our taxpayers at risk for future tax increases due to all the needs in other areas of this county.”
Shearl also thanked all those who “have spent a lot of time and energy on this project,’ and he ended with, “I hope and pray that I am wrong and you are right.”
Subsequent to approval, Chairman Gary Shields, who served as FHS principal for many years and who was active in working toward a new high school, expressed his thanks on behalf of the board.
“I appreciate people’s involvement and what you’ve meant to this project. This has been a challenge but that’s what makes it good,” said Shields.
The nuts and bolts
Atlanta, Ga.-based LS3P is the architectural firm overseeing the project, which has a target completion goal of mid-2027. Two main purposes for constructing a new FHS campus are to achieve a more secure and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant campus. Last October, LS3P held a community input session at the Robert C. Carpenter Community Building in Franklin so that interested parties could view a slideshow and an architectural model of the future school.
An informational brochure about the school touted, “This new 1,400 student Franklin High School is an on-site replacement of the existing 1,000 student high school. The design of this new facility includes … Bartram Academy. The building includes a secure, single point of entry and a secure outdoor courtyard for students. … An enclosed pedestrian bridge connects the academic wings through the courtyard to the media center, cafeteria, and indoor athletic amenities. … The new campus includes increased parking capacity …”
In all, the new school is expected to encompass 265,000 square feet and provide 624 parking spaces, as well as a stadium with 2,400 home seats and 1,000 visitors seats, and much more. To view a video representation of LS3P’s drawings and schematic, visit https://maconnc.org/index.html.
Current principal weighs in
FHS Principal Blair King issued a statement Aug. 14 following financing approval, which read: “With grateful hearts and a deep sense of humility, we are thrilled to announce that the plans for a new Franklin High School have been finalized, and construction is set to begin this November. This significant development will provide our students and teachers with the state-of-the-art facilities they deserve — facilities that have been long overdue.
“We extend our sincere thanks to the county commissioners for their decision to fund this critical project. We are also deeply appreciative of our board members, superintendent, and all central office personnel who dedicated countless hours to making this vision a reality. Additionally, we want to express our gratitude to the community for its overwhelming support, and to our administrators, teachers, and staff for their invaluable contributions to the development of the final plans.”
He shared anticipation for the future of FHS and the numerous opportunities the new facility will bring to students for years to come.
“We recognize that with such excitement, there will be occasional challenges that will require us to adapt, remain flexible, and embrace change,” King cautioned. “While frustrations may arise, our focus remains steadfast on the ultimate goal and the profound impact this project will have on the future of not only Franklin High School but Macon County as a whole.”