Last week, County Executive John R. Leopold was joined by elected officials in urging the County Council to supported proposed funding to build a new Severna Park High School.
“The County has already begun the process of replacing this school, and any delay at this point could prove fatal to the prospect of beginning construction given our current and projected revenue picture,” County Executive Leopold said. “The parents, teachers and staff of this community are depending on our elected officials to follow through on their promises.”
Members of the State Legislative Delegation joined County Executive Leopold in supporting the project. Senator Ed Reilly and Delegate Cathleen M. Vitale both served on the Council and were instrumental in providing funding for the project.
Almost $750,000 has already been appropriated or encumbered for the new high school, and along with Delegate Tony McConkey, Reilly and Vitale have worked with State school construction officials in maintaining the combination of State and County money necessary to complete the work.
“As a former Councilman, I know there are many demands on the County’s limited capital dollars, but this is one project that must stay on schedule,” Senator Reilly said.
Delegate Vitale agreed, noting that she “spent my entire career on the County Council working with the community to secure Severna Park High School’s place in the County’s Capital Budget. The needs at this school have been ignored for too long, and we cannot now sidetrack a project that has gotten this far.”
County Executive Leopold spoke with Council Chairman Dick Ladd, who indicated that he appreciated the strong support for the project and is aggressively working to garner the votes necessary to move forward on schedule. The FY2012 Budget recommends $3.6 million for planning and design of the high school.
