$50 million bond issue to fund Dougherty, Westover construction projects

ALBANY – Two Dougherty County high schools will be the main focus of a bond issue that will provide $50 million in funding for new construction and renovations.

“This is to assist with the completion of several capital projects, (including) the Westover and Dougherty High School additions and renovations,” Schools Superintendent Ken Dyer said.

A third project for which funds are earmarked is a public safety complex in east Albany.

Projects at Westover High School will include construction of a new health and physical education complex and a three-story academic building for classrooms and labs. The project also calls for the renovation of the other buildings on the campus.

“It’s been some time” since the building received significant renovations, the superintendent said. “It’s been over 30 years. That’s the original Westover building. That’s the last time construction was done to the original campus.”

The funding for Dougherty High School will allow for the construction of a new health and physical education complex. 

The school system also plans to update security systems at a number of schools. That will include cameras with high definition facial-recognition technology as well as weapons-detection equipment.

The school system has systems for detecting weapons at all middle and high schools, Dyer said.

The former Sylvandale Elementary School campus will be renovated for use as a public safety center.

Voters in the county approved the issuance of up to $150 million in bonds, but the amount requested will meet the system’s needs, Dyer said.

“We think that’s what we need to complete those projects,” he said. “The other projects we’ll complete as E-SPLOST (education-special-purpose local-option sales tax) dollars come in.”

If the proposed projects come in at less than the $50 million allocated, the excess funds will be used for projects planned at Lake Park Elementary School and Northside Elementary School.

Earlier this month, the Dougherty County Commission, as the county’s taxing agent, gave its approval for the bond issue. The bonds are to be paid back through school tax collections over 10 years.

Interest on the bonds is estimated at $16.5 million.

The school system has a total of 24 campuses and has an enrollment of about 13,000 students.

“I’m thankful to the voters of Dougherty County for passing the E-SPLOST referendum and authorizing the issuance of these bonds to help our schools expand when necessary and to provide the necessary safety features for our schools,” Dyer said. “We’re going to do our best to provide sound stewardship and make sound investments to ensure students have a safe , comfortable and modern environment in which to learn.”