When Spotsylvania County voters head to the polls this fall, they may have a bond referendum to consider in addition to the general election.
The county’s school board voted 6-0 (with Vice Chair Belen Rodas absent) to request the board of supervisors adopt a resolution to place a $237.2 million bond referendum on the ballot that would allow for school maintenance and facilities upgrades, construction of new schools, as well as improvements to the transportation department and technology.
The school division’s bond referendum project list was due to the county on Tuesday, and the supervisors will vote on whether to approve the categories and amounts for the referendum on May 26.
If the supervisors agree to request the circuit court orders the referendum, school officials will conduct public information sessions from July through October. Early voting begins Sept. 19 with Election Day on Nov. 3.
Spotsylvania County Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Phillip Trayer noted during a work session Monday night that the county is one of approximately 50 localities in the nation with an AAA bond rating. He said that track record should serve the county well when seeking funding.
“This translates to the lowest possible financing that we can get,” Trayer said.
The school division has exhausted nearly all its funds from a $206.8 million bond referendum five years ago.
That referendum included $127.9 million in facility upgrades, which was used for building renovations at four schools.
By fiscal year 2028, school officials anticipate having only $37 million in bond authority remaining. Those funds will go towards the renovation of the Marshall Community Center as a space for special education, projects at Chancellor High and Chancellor Middle, expansions at Thornburg Middle and Ni River Middle, and the ongoing renovation of Spotsylvania Middle.
In the proposed 2026 referendum, the school board is prioritizing the $84 million construction of a new elementary school on the U.S. Route 1 corridor, followed by a $143 million career and technical education (CTE) center, and a $154 million new high school in the New Post area.
School board member Larry DiBella, who represents the Berkeley District, made a motion to shift the CTE center to the No. 1 priority, but it failed 5-1. DiBella said he suggested the change because the current CTE center which sits next to Courtland High School, could be used to address other capacity needs. He also noted that the county doesn’t currently own the property it is considering for the new elementary school, but it owns the land for the CTE facility.
“Once we build the new CTE, we automatically have an empty building, meaning the building it’s currently in,” DiBella said. “We already own the property we could build our new CTE center on. We know we added positions to maximize CTE capacity.”
Lee Hill District representative Rich Lieberman suggested using the empty CTE building as additional space for Courtland, making it “super Courtland” and eliminating the need for a new high school, which would save the county $154 million. Some Courtland classes are already in the building because of space constraints.
Superintendent Clint Mitchell, however, said although the idea sounds good, it doesn’t address the major concern of population growth in the New Post area.
“Our need for a new high school is not in the Courtland zone,” Mitchell said.
Lieberman responded that he lives close to New Post and traveling approximately 10 miles to Courtland shouldn’t be a big deal. New Post families are currently zoned for Massaponax High, which is approximately nine miles away.
Lieberman also joined DiBella in questioning the process for the prioritization of projects.
Lieberman said when the board voted for the capital improvement plan in January, there wasn’t an option to decide on the order of construction. He and DiBella expressed concern that division staff made that decision without consulting the board and requested that doesn’t occur again. Mitchell responded that the decision-making process began before DiBella, Lieberman and Jennifer Craig Ford of the Battlefield District joined the board in January. Board Chair Megan Jackson supported Mitchell’s recollection, but DiBella remained unconvinced.
“I just know in conversations that I’ve had it’s been told to me just since January it would be up to this board to make the decision on which project to move forward with, even from Dr. Mitchell,” DiBella said. “So, obviously someone has made that decision since January, is my concern.”
