Dillon County to begin selling $60 million school bond

Voters have passed the countywide $60 million bond referendum promoted by Dillon County school districts and the Dillon County Board of Education, and now the team will meet with attorneys to begin the process of selling the bond.

Dillon School District 1 superintendent Stephen Laird, Dillon School District 2 superintendent Ray Rogers and Dillon School District 3 superintendent Dr. John Kirby all said they will begin meeting with the county’s board of education and bond attorneys in January to begin discussing when to sell the bond and begin bids for the projects.

The superintendents said the they will meet with county board members and attorneys to determine when the best time is to sell the bond for the best interest rate.

During the months to come, the superintendents will begin working with architects from SfL+a Architects of Fayetteville, N.C.

“In the meantime, we’ll meet with the architects and start to develop formal plans,” Kirby said. “Hopefully, we’ll put some bids out at the end of spring or the beginning of summer. Maybe (we can) start building in mid or late summer. Everything depends on when the bonds are sold.”

Rogers said they have been given rough sketches of the middle school project, but no concrete images have been given at this point.

Laird said he will most likely meet with the architects after the Christmas break to begin plans for his district’s projects.

The bond referendum that will help the districts improve their facilities is made up of these projects, in order of priority:

n Dillon 1, Lake View: 1a. Additions and renovations at high school to accommodate sixth and seventh grade; 1b. Construction of cafeteria and classrooms at elementary school to accommodate pre-K/kindergarten through fifth grade; and 1c. Demolition of back wing of middle school. 2. Reconfiguration of east entrance to parent drop-off at elementary school to accommodate additional driveway. 3. Reconfiguration of west entrance to parent drop-off at elementary school pre-K wing to accommodate additional driveway. 4a. Installation of air conditioning in and enlargement of middle school gym; 4b. Reconfiguration of the northwest entrance to parent drop-off at high school to accommodate additional driveway; 4c. New parking lot for faculty at the elementary school; 4d. Addition to new cafeteria at elementary school; 4e. Reconfiguration of east staff parking lot of Lake View High School; and installation of heating, venting and air conditioning unit in high school gym.

n Dillon 2, Dillon: A new middle school to replace J.V. Martin Junior High School; a new cafeteria and additional classrooms for a new early childhood development wing at East Elementary School; and additional classrooms with required restrooms and storage at Stewart Heights Elementary School.

n Dillon 3, Latta: Expansion at Latta Early Childhood Center; new auditorium at high school; and renovation to entrance of all schools to accommodate a central secured point of access.



On the Web

Dillon School District 1 (Lake View): www.lakeviewschools.com

Dillon School District 2 (Dillon): www.dillon2.k12.sc.us

Dillon School District 3 (Latta): www.dillon3.k12.sc.us