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Editor’s note: For more on the issues surrounding Prince Edward Elementary, which is referenced in this letter, click here.

Dear Editor,

I keep reading about all the problems with the elementary school. I just read that school officials, county supervisors and Doug Stanley are moving forward with a $30 million renovation plan.

So, I looked up the average cost of building a new elementary school. That cost in 2022 is $307 a square foot. According to the internet each student in elementary school requires 70 square feet. Assuming 1,000 students the new school requires 70,000 square feet.

So, the math says we can build a new elementary school for $21.490 million. This leaves the county officials with $8.510 million savings based on their estimates to renovate the current school.

Now we need land. I would use the county owned 94 acres on Granite Falls. Surely county officials can fix any zoning problems and they will no longer have any reason to raise our taxes. Although, I would certainly consider the recent property tax bill as a huge tax increase.

I realize this is a simplification of the problem. But, county officials need to tell its citizens specifically why this idea or a modification of this idea will not work.

Only the facts please! No political jargon!

Randal Phillips

Rice