School leaders plan to go before commissioners Monday night to ask for half a million dollars to build a new addition to the school.COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) – One of the oldest schools in Columbus County is getting some monetary assistance.
Monday night, County Commissioners voted to give $750,000 dollars for Old Dock School.
The school already has $750,000 saved from lottery money, so that brings it to a $1.5 million total.
While Old Dock Elementary may not be the oldest school in Columbus County, school officials say it's the school that needs the most repairs.
Superintendent Alan Faulk and other school officials gave county Commissioner Edwin Russ a tour of Old Dock Elementary Monday to point out desperately needed repairs.
"What I saw this morning – the foundation is in very bad shape," explained Russ who walked away from the tour realizing the school is worse off than he expected. "Floors are weak and squeaky as you walk on them. That's an indication that the floor underneath has problems and that normally leads to other things."
According to Faulk, water has not been able to drain properly and has started settling under the building, causing some rotting.
"It's my concern the floor and entire wing will rot away if we don't repair it," said Faulk.
Faulk said the school system has some $750,000 saved from lottery money. They hope to add half a million dollars from the county to that amount to build six new classrooms, restrooms and a resource room in the front of the school.
"We're designing the building so in the future if money becomes available we can actually add on to the end of the building," explained Faulk.
Faulk hopes to start construction on the project in April and be finished by January 2013.
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