Hickory schools go after second federal grant

Request for additional $1.14 million in interest-free loans would complete work at Hickory High School

By: Sarah Newell williamson | Hickory Daily Record
Published: August 25, 2009

HICKORY --

Hickory Public Schools is getting a second crack at federal stimulus money.

The school system applied in July for approximately $1.4 million in zero-interest loans from the 2009 Qualified School Construction Bond program, which is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The program allows schools to receive bonds for new construction, renovation or to repair schools. The bonds must be paid back within 12 years.

North Carolina was allocated $275,772,000. That money was divided up among school systems. In order to receive the zero-interest bonds, they had to apply for them. The hitch was that the projects had to be shovel-ready. Some school systems did not have projects they could immediately do, or chose not to apply for the loans.

"On Aug. 12, the Department of Public Instruction said that $86 million remained on the table and schools could reapply for the funding," said Kathy Isenhour, associate superintendent and finance officer for Hickory Public Schools.

With the initial $1.4 million, the school system planned to replace the windows and doors at Hickory High School. The school is already under renovation, with asbestos being removed, the classrooms and gym being painted, the HVAC system being replaced and the ceiling, lights and roof replaced.

Hickory Public Schools is requesting an additional $1.14 million in interest-free loans to complete the renovations at Hickory High, Isenhour said.

"The first round of ARRA money would not have been enough to replace all of the windows and exterior doors," Isenhour said.

If the school system is approved for the zero-interest loans, Isenhour said the money should be enough to replace all of the exterior doors, windows and asbestos fascia panels, that are on the outside of the school near the roof.

"We want to replace the doors and windows first," Isenhour said. "We now have an HVAC system that's very efficient, and we want to make sure we close up the school."

At the Hickory Public Schools Board of Education meeting Monday night, the board members unanimously approved the request.

The school system must postmark by Wednesday its request for additional money through zero-interest bonds to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.