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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Bennett Middle funds in limbo

ANNAPOLIS -- It is unclear how the Wicomico County Council's initial vote not to support state dollars for a new Bennett Middle School will impact state funding.
Members of the state Board of Public Works said while they were pleased the Wicomico Board of Education was able to eventually secure a letter of support from the seven-member County Council, following the council's first vote on Jan. 17 not to support the project, they did not mention plans to reappropriate millions from the Bennett project to school construction projects outside the region.
Wednesday afternoon, representatives from Wicomico County had just 10 minutes to convince the board to change its mind -- in the balance was the county's original request for $4.5 million during the upcoming fiscal year and hopes the state would add $5.5 million to that figure.
"Our biggest concern is our Bennett Middle School, for which we have received a letter of support not only from the County Executive, but from the County Council," said Superintendent John Fredericksen.
Also representing the county were Delegate Norm Conway, D-38B-Wicomico, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, County Executive Rick Pollitt and the school district's Director of Facility Services, Brian Foret.
During his stint at the lectern, Conway hailed the state's commitment to education as well as the work done on James M. Bennett High School.
"We are going to have the largest amount of school construction money in history this year, and I think that says something," Conway said. "The vote yesterday was truly a historic one in Wicomico County, and I hope the Board of Public Works will give consideration to the emphasis that was made on the part of our people for the project."
Pollitt also told the board, which includes Gov. Martin O'Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy Kopp, that the County Council came to write the letter after an outpouring of support from the community proved to four of its members the importance of the project.

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