Lottery funds new school project

SNOW HILL — Greene County School officials said they still planned to have a new elementary school built and opened for the 2012-2013 school year.

The Greene County Board of Education met Tuesday to discuss its N.C. Education Lottery Fund balance and how it will be used to fund a new school project.

According to Greene County Schools’ finance director Nancy Harris, a majority of the lottery fund proceeds received by the district were used to buy 62 acres at Middle School Road, where a new school would be built. The purchase was approved by the Greene County commissioners in February.

Harris said the school district has nearly another $300,000 in its lottery fund balance. The state had withheld its second and fourth quarter lottery distributions to school districts statewide.

Once the state’s budget was balanced, the withheld lottery funds were distributed in September to school districts statewide.

“They gave us our money back,” Harris said.

Greene County Schools Superintendent Patrick Miller said the remaining lottery proceeds would be used to fund planning and design efforts for a new elementary school. The school board has already selected an architectural firm to do the work.

Harris said groundbreaking for the school could begin as early as late 2010, with construction set to continue through 2011 and 2012.

Chris Lavender can be reached at 252-559-1078 or clavender@freedomenc.com.