A series of community meetings is underway across Baldwin County as local advocates work to explain a proposed $350 million, decade-long capital improvements plan to voters ahead of a March 31 special election.
The Baldwin County Education Coalition has been holding summits at each of the district’s seven high school feeder patterns to walk residents through the scope of the school system’s facility needs and the proposed 8-mill property tax increase that would help pay for them. The next presentation, focused on Baldwin County High School and its feeder schools in the Bay Minette area, is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 26 at Bay Minette Elementary School. That plan places a new elementary school for grades 1-6 in Bay Minette among its top priorities.
Terry Burkle, executive director of the Education Coalition, said supporters have organized a campaign called “Build Baldwin Now” aimed at turning out voters and making the case for additional school funding. Remaining summits are planned for the Foley High feeder pattern on Jan. 27 at Foley Middle School, the Daphne High School feeder pattern on Feb. 24 at Trojan Hall, and the Gulf Shores High School feeder pattern on Feb. 26 at a location still to be announced. Each session begins at 6 p.m. Summits for the Fairhope High feeder pattern and the Spanish Fort High feeder pattern have already taken place, in December and Jan. 20 respectively.
According to figures presented at a countywide education summit in November, district officials say the capital plan is driven by overcrowding across Baldwin County’s 45 schools, 24 of which are already over capacity. Enrollment projections show the district could grow by 25 percent over the next decade — roughly 6,158 additional students — and officials estimate 447 more portable classrooms would be needed county-wide if new permanent buildings aren’t constructed.
The school system has already spent about $250 million on growth-related construction over the past 14 years and continues to make debt payments on a $150 million bond used to build or renovate 11 schools between 2002 and 2010. Baldwin County Probate Judge Tim Russell has estimated the cost of holding the special election itself at roughly $175,000.
The push comes on the heels of other recent school-finance moves in the county, including the board’s decision earlier this month to refinance $89.4 million in 2007 construction bonds, a step expected to save the district about $10.4 million. District leaders say that if the March referendum fails, overcrowding pressures are likely to intensify as Baldwin County’s student population continues to grow.