Commissioner Marcelle Smith made the suggestion the board review its plan at its yearly retreat scheduled in December. “I’m asking for us to add (discussions of the plan) to the retreat and revisit our plan as it relates to school improvement.”

In looking over minutes for the Weldon High School issue, Smith said he reviewed documents going back to 2009. There will were also discussions going back to 2010 and 2012. “All those I had gone through talk about Weldon City Schools. The last plan lists schools not in existence right now.”

Commissioner Carolyn Johnson suggested the school systems, which have their own school improvement plans, could help the board by sharing their documents. “We need to know what’s in the school facility plans.”

Said Smith: “I’m operating on old information.”

As far as Weldon’s request for funds, commissioners agreed to take $38,000 from the county contingency fund to allow the system to pay for a study which could lead to recommendations on whether the high school should undergo renovations or whether a new school should be constructed.

System Superintendent Anitra Wells told the board this evening the school board agreed last week to request commissioners allocate the funds for the study and it had no preference what firm would be used.

The $38,000 was the price quoted by Raleigh-based Davis Kane Architects.

The company, in a July 21 letter to County Attorney Glynn Rollins, stated its goal would be to determine whether the school should be renovated or a new building should be constructed on a new or existing site.

In determining the options, one of the deciding factors would be coming up with probable costs as well as determining program needs compared with the needs to state Department of Public Instruction standards.