Milford chronicle., 1927-02-04
LONG AWAITED SCHOOL
BUILDING BILL INTRODUCED
in The STATE SENATE
continued from first nagel

appoint lle members OF LllS DOdru
and they would hold Office until the
duties of the commission under this
act had been fully performed. No
more than two members of the
board could belong to the same pO-
litical party. One would have to be
appointed from Wilmington, one
from rural New Castle county, one
from Kent county and one from Sus-
sex county. Within so days after
their appointment they would meet
in Dover at time fixed by the gov
ernor and organize by electing one
of their number chairman and an
other member vice chairman. They
would receive no pay for their SER
vices but would be allowed their eX-
penses in connection with work for
the board. The commission could
name a secretary and fix his salary.
They could employ an engineer and
an architect and such other en-
plOyees as the board deemed essen
tial to the performance of its duties
and fix the pay of such employees.
1t could require all such employees
to give bond.
The act provides that between
June 80 and July IA of this year the
State treasurer shall ascertain the
balance in the school fund and set
aside $2,O00,OO0 forthwith in spe-
ciaI account in the Farmers Bank
to be known as the state School
Building Account" D." The act then
specifies Wilmington's share Of this
sum shall be twO-fifths and the re-
mainder shall be used in the state
outside of Wilmington.
AS soon as practicable after the
passage of the act the State Board
of Education shall prepare a tenta-
tive program for school building
improvements for such of the dis
tricts outside of Wilmington where
in the existing schools are made
quate or unhygienic. Wilmington
would have the right to use Its
share of the building fund for school
building purposes as the school au-
thorities of that city saw fit without
consulting the State School Build
ing Commission but the latter COM
mission would be at the disposal OF
the Wilmington school officials IL
they desired to consult with the
commission.
The State Board of Education
would submit to the trustees OF the
district included in it's building pro-
gram the general character of the
improvements proposed for that lis
trict and hear the suggestions or
comment thereon from the local
board, It would then submit to the
State School Building Commission
the building program together with
such alterations or notifications
as the local board may suggest and
as soon as practicable thereafter
the commission would report back
to the State Board of Education the
estimated cost of the proposed I'M
provements. The State Board could
make any changes in the proposed
improvements in the light of the in
formation furnished it by the build
ing commission.
No school district in the State
outside of Wilmington could have
any share in the $2,000,0OO fund un-
less such district shall contribute
such sum of money toward the pay
ment of the cost of the school I'M
movements as the State Board OF
Education shall assign as the con
tribution of said district. Ihe
amount to be contributed by DIS
trict would be determined by the
State Board as follows:
Where no school building I'M
movements have been made in the
district since the first of January, |
1919. the contribution of the district
would be a sum equal to five per |
cent of the assessed value OF the !
real and personal property in such |
district. less the aggregate amount |
of the bonds of the district then out
if any, that had been IS
sued for school building improve
ments in the district prior to jan
nary l, 1919. When school improve
ments have been made in district
since January l, 1919, and bonds IS
sued therefor, the State Board would
ascertain the amount of five per cent
of the assessed valuation of the
property in the district and shall de-
duct from such amount a sum equal
to the aggregate of the bonds IS
sued, whether any or all OF the
bonds have been paid, and the re-
mainder shall constitute the amount
which the district must contribute
toward the payment of the cost OF
the school building improvements
in that district in order to Denent
under this act.
There is a provision, however
which reads that in any case Where
a school building improvement was
made in a district since January l.
1919. and the district was bonded TO
the limit of the law, without regard
tn whether any of the bonds have
since been paid, the entire cost OF
the school building improvement III
such district shall be paid f'r out
Of the 100000 fund.
The State Board would nave 10
notify the district trustees OF the
amount they were expected to pay
and within one month thereafter the
local board would have to adopt a
resolution for or against the con
.empIated improvement and this
resolution would be returned to the
State Board. If the local board IS
against the improvements the state
Board may, at it's discretion, submit
! new or modified plan and the 10
,al hoard will. have to vote on that.
f the local board rejects the mod1-
led nlan the question Of having the
improvements made may be submit
ed to a referendum upon the peti-
ion of twenty-five voters in the dis
rict If a majority of the voters
It such special election are favor
lbIe to the proposed improvements
his vote will have the safe effect as
{ the local board had given its ap-
Droval to the proposition. Districts