Michael C. Rogers, interim principal for the City of Charlottesville, recommends that the city council wait on funding for the proposed renovation and expansion of Buford Prep until the city can put a funding plan in place.
“The proposed school reconfiguration has not been incorporated into the city’s capital improvement program in a way that would allow the city council to develop a coordinated funding plan,” Rogers said during Monday’s city council meeting.
During the meeting, Rogers and the city’s chief budget analyst, Chrissy Hamill, presented multiple budget scenarios for funding the schools project, known as reconfiguration, and what tax increases are needed to raise the money.
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Rogers recommends the city raise the estate tax rate by two years and set aside money in the city’s capital projects fund as the start of an annual program to pay for the school’s remodel.
“[I recommend we] “Delay any withdrawals of upcoming reconfiguration costs until a later date to give City Council, staff and the city’s financial advisor an opportunity to work on a five to 10 year funding plan,” Rogers said. “I also recommend that the city manager’s office begin to retool the city’s capital improvement program to make proper plans for projects that are necessary for both schools and city government.”
Rogers said he wants the reworking of the capital improvement plan to begin immediately and take effect in fiscal year 2024.
The city council has announced a possible increase in the property tax rate of up to 10 cents in order to help fund the project. But councilors have been less enthusiastic about raising taxes in the face of rising property valuations.
“Let’s move forward, but not too quickly,” Rogers said. “Let’s pause a little bit and start putting some money into this project.”
During public comment, Charlottesville School Board Chair Lisa Larson Torres expressed her frustration with the recommendation, as well as her concern that money raised through the recommended tax increase would not go to schools.
“Historically, we’ve been moving very fast for decades. Schools have waited. This has happened a few times,” Larson Torres said. You know, is this really going to happen? ”
Earlier in the meeting, Caja Edwards, a seventh grader at Buford, spoke in favor of Buford’s renewal.
“A lot of students are really crowded in the class. When students are overcrowded, it makes them feel like they can’t concentrate,” she said. It makes children unable to learn.”
The classrooms themselves can be distracting, Edwards said.
“Some of the classrooms don’t have good air-conditioning and heating, which can make concentrating difficult because you’re either too hot or too cold to pay attention to it,” she said. “When the air conditioner is on, you can hear it. You can hear the pipes clanking in different classrooms and that’s not good. You want the kids to be able to focus in class.”
Edwards also said she is concerned about safety and security on campus when moving between buildings, as well as bathroom problems.
After Rogers made his recommendation, School Principal Royal Gurley tweeted his frustration.
“Black and brown students have waited long enough! They don’t have the privilege of waiting!” he tweeted.
Mayor Lloyd Snook said the city council will not take any action on the recommendation yet. The next budget work session will be on March 31, and the recommendation will likely be discussed after that.
