BY KARISSA MILLER

Iredell-Statesville Schools officials will ask the county commissioners to fund construction of the proposed new high school on Tuesday.

The Iredell County Board of Commissioners will hold its pre-agenda briefing at 4 p.m. and regular meeting at 6 p.m. The meetings, which are open to the public, are held at the Government Center, located at 200 S. Center Street in Statesville in the commissioners’ meeting room on the second floor.

On March 24, the I-SS Board passed a resolution stating that the cost of construction of Weathers Creek High School would be between $150 million and $170 million. Furniture, fixtures and equipment costs are estimated at $20 million to $30 million.

According to the resolution, the school board is willing to work with the county to seek additional funding sources. These options include a public-private partnership or working with a private vendor to provide the major mechanical equipment and maintenance as a service.

The new high school is needed to address growth in the area and overcrowding in the high schools.

In March of 2020, Iredell County voters approved a one-cent property tax rate increase to fund new construction projects for I-SS, Mooresville Graded School District and Mitchell Community College.

Commissioners committed to spending $80 million for the new I-SS high school. Three years later, the estimated cost of building the new school at the site off Overcash Road in Troutman has jumped to $177 million-plus.

The estimated construction timeline for building the new high school is three years.

OTHER BUSINESS

Also, during the meeting, the commissioners will:
• Hold a public hearing and consider an economic development incentive for Project Pivot.
• Consider a request from the Register of Deeds for approval of $207,413.40 to appropriate Technology & Preservation Funds for the purpose of preserving historical deed records.
• Consider a request from Information Technology Services for approval of a contract with Spectrum.
• Consider a request from Department of Social Services for approval of a 3-year contract with Avaya Cloud Office solution.
• Consider a request from Department of Social Services to proclaim April as Child Abuse Awareness Prevention Month.
• Consider a request from the Finance Department to award the sale of property on Harmony Highway to the highest bidder. The County owns property at 4600 Harmony Highway and has been in the upset bid process of selling this property. After six rounds of upset bids, the highest bid is $20,000.

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