Commissioners split on school bond vote

(By Leslie Bray Evans, The Stokes News) - Stokes County’s Board of Commissioners held a lively debate on the subject of zero or low interest bonds for the school system before they voted 3-2 to table the issue at Monday night’s regular meeting. Commissioner Ernest Lankford made the initial motion to table it and was joined in yes votes from Chairman of the Board Leon Inman and Vice-Chair Jimmy Walker. Commissioners Dr. Ron Carroll and Stanley Smith voted against the tabling.

The issue of zero/low interest bonds had come up at the last meeting of the commissioners on July 13, with a quickly approaching July 31 deadline for the school system to make application. Chairman of the Board of Education Bill Hart had told the commissioners that the money, if approved, would be a perfect fit for the needed renovations at Southeastern Middle School.

The final decision at the July 13 meeting was for the school system to prepare to make application for the possible $5 million in bonds and the commissioners to get a recommendation from their financial consultant.