The Roanoke Rapids Graded School District has given its consensus on a plan to build a new Manning Elementary School for $19.2 million, but commissioners today balked at approving that figure and voting on a $1.2 million allocation to cover start-up costs of the project, wanting more detailed financing figures and how it will impact taxpayers.

The board will review those details at its June 15 meeting, which will be held at 9:30 a.m.

Board Chair Vernon Bryant presented details at the county commissioners meeting, which came out of a committee meeting held last week between representatives of the county and the school system where the new figures were ironed out.

The county would fund $1 million of the start-up costs and the school system would fund $200,000, the source of its funds being its state lottery money. “We made it clear that when it's said and done it is a subject that both boards approve,” Bryant said.

Bryant said the early estimated payment of around $1 million per year is going to be challenging, but the county is willing to explore various funding options.

“I think my question is aren't there prototype schools that can be built for between $5 million to $10 million that are really nice schools?” said Commissioner Carolyn Johnson. “There are a lot of unknowns out there. If we learned that lesson, we learned it from the jail project.”

County Manager Tony Brown cautioned the figures discussed are just an option. “We wanted a starting point. The original starting point was $26 million. We whittled that down that to $23 or 24.”

Early indications, county Finance Director Mary Duncan said, is that USDA has long-term loans at 3.5 to 4.5 percent.

Brown said USDA loans have a 30- to 40-year payback at a lower interest rate.

School Board Chairman Jay Carlilse said the money for the startup costs is crucial at this point. “We're at the mercy of the county commissioners. Our pleasure would be to at least see the board begin with startup costs.”

Robbie Clements, facilities director for the school system, told the board the startup costs are crucial for a 2018 opening. He said the school system has made all the repairs it can on the school. “We'd just like to start the process. Maybe we can find a prototype.”

Commissioner Patrick Qualls said he wanted a better understanding of the numbers, the funding options and the impact on taxpayers before committing the $1.2 million. “I don't want us to fund $1.2 million and then say we're not committed to building a school.”

Said Johnson: “We owe it to the taxpayers that we are committed to this project.”