For the complete article in the Aiken Standard click below

http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/0310-school-board-FOR-WEB

Here are portions from the article

“In a historic decision Tuesday, the nine Aiken County Board of Education members unanimously agreed to call for a $236 million bond referendum that would target six schools for new construction off-site or for rebuilding onsite.

The bond election will be held Tuesday, May 25 – the first referendum in more than 30 years. That successful election led to the construction of Silver Bluff, South Aiken and Midland Valley High schools.

The new proposal calls for a focus on six schools – Aiken High School, North Augusta High, Leavelle McCampbell Middle School, Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary/Middle School, Jackson Middle School and the Aiken County Career and Technology Center. The new construction would come at a cost to taxpayers – approximately an $118 increase in property taxes annually per $100,000 value of an owner-occupied residence.”

Barry Adams no longer has any children in the school system, but wants school facility upgrades in part as a way to attract new industry. In in today’s economic environment, he said, this is a perfect time for a bond issue such as this one.

“Recessionary times are difficult on everyone,” Adams said. “But we have been afforded an opportunity which we may not see again for many decades. Interest rates and construction costs are the lowest many of use have seen in our lifetimes.”

Over the last several months, I have had numerous conversations with City officials, and I am continually impressed with their genuine concern for the best interest of North Augustans. Several more recent conversations have revolved around the direction of growth of North Augusta, and what steps the City can take to be more business friendly.

As a result of these conversations, the Chamber and the City have joined forces to produce the following survey. There are only 12 questions that can be answered in a couple of minutes. Your input is vital in how we proceed. Please take just a minute to complete the following questions.

Thank you for your participation and your continued support. Together, as a community, we can accomplish great things!

Associated Press

COLUMBIA — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford accused the president of playing politics with nuclear waste, urging the Obama administration to follow through on plans to send thousands of tons of radioactive material to Nevada and urging legal action if it does not.

Sanford, surrounded by state, local and federal officials on Tuesday, accused the Obama administration of allowing “old-style Chicago politics” to dictate the fate of a long-planned nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The governor said the president was trying to protect Nevada Democratic Sen. Harry Reid’s seat while ripping off companies in South Carolina that have paid $1.2 billion to create the dump.

A Reid spokesman denied the charge, but the Republican governor called Obama’s plan “a detour from basically a 25-year compact based on simple old-style Chicago politics that are the antithesis of the change that he himself had promised” during his campaign.

The proposed site 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas has been targeted for 20 years to house the nation’s high level nuclear waste. As a candidate, Obama promised to close the facility, and his latest budget calls for eliminating funding for the site. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has said Yucca Mountain is not an option, and his department will withdraw its license application by the end of this month, essentially nixing the project as a commission studies where the waste should go.

“As we move to expand nuclear power, the president is fully committed to ensuring that the nation meets our long-term storage obligations for nuclear waste,” Moira Mack, a White House spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed statement.

For now, high-level nuclear waste is stored at 80 sites around the nation, typically at nuclear power plants or places such as the federal Savannah River Site in Aiken County, where more than 3,600 tons of nuclear waste is stored.

State Attorney General Henry McMaster said he is working on the legal questions. He said that includes talking with attorneys general in other states as well as the utility industry and nuclear industry legal experts.

The issue has been swirling for years here and in Nevada, where political careers can be lost based support of Yucca Mountain.

Sanford said the plans for Yucca Mountain span decades and numerous administrations and that $10 billion has been spent on the underground site. “I mean, I think we all get it that Harry Reid is in a tough race out in Nevada and giving him this would give him a win in a tough race in Nevada but it would come at great expense to the rest of us as Americans,” he said.

Jon Summers, communications director for Reid, said the senator consistently has opposed Yucca and the only reason that location was chosen was because Nevada lacked clout in Washington 25 years ago. “We now have an administration that is listening to Senator Reid and the people of Nevada,” Summers said.

“It’s interesting that the only people that are complaining about this are Republicans,” he said, noting they’re “the only people that want to bring nuclear waste to Nevada.”

In December the federal Government Accountability Office said it is cheaper to store nuclear waste in the short term in concrete casks at the nation’s nuclear power plants but that that method would be more costly over time.

The report said that approach would cost up to $34 billion during the next 100 years while the Yucca Mountain facility would cost at least $41 billion. It noted costs would rise when that waste has to be repackaged in the next century or a permanent repository is opened.

http://www.aikenstandard.com/State/m1036-BC-SC-SC-NuclearWaste-2ndLd-Writethru-02-16-0759

As a homeowner, I’ll be the first to say  it was nice to see my taxes drop.  But unfortunately, a homeowners savings has been made up by struggling businesses, and even then, our school system faces shortfall after shortfall.  While this new legislation would provide small businesses with some relief, I have strongly encouraged our local delegation in Columbia to pursue a complete and fair overhall of our State’s tax code.  The only solution is a broad equitable tax code which fairly pays for the services dellievered by our State and local governments.

“The legislation was needed to address tax changes passed under 2006’s Act 388, which increasingly has become the poster child for a growing number of revenue problems in the state.”

http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/1149675.html

http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/0210Council2010-02-09T19-07-16

By MIKE GELLATLY

Staff writer for The Aiken Standard

The federal government’s proposal to abandon the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository is angering some local residents.

As part of President Barack Obama’s 2011 budget proposal announced Monday, the Yucca project would be terminated. Yucca has been designated as the United States’ long-term storage site for the nation’s spent nuclear fuel.

On Tuesday night, Aiken County Council moved forward on a resolution demanding the proposal to terminate the much-invested Yucca facility be reconsidered.

At the same time, the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate are debating a resolution of their own against the proposal to terminate the Yucca site.

The resolution states the fear that “the federal government’s decision to abandon Yucca Mountain means the Savannah River Site may become a permanent repository for defense nuclear waste in violation of long-standing federal assurances to the contrary.”

Speaking from Columbia Wednesday, Aiken County Councilman Chuck Smith said he was livid about the decision and the money that has been used to investigate the Yucca site. Smith said the decision was “arrogant.”

Smith said an estimated $100 billion has been spent on the project. He described any alternatives as “a joke” and “pie in the sky” that the technology could be rolled out soon.

Smith said he was in Columbia looking at remedies to help South Carolina financially, such as charging “tipping fees” to other states whose plutonium has been removed and is being stored at the Savannah River Site.

Local nuclear advocates have suggested that the committee may not totally abandon the concept of Yucca, but scale it down along with nuclear reprocessing and the development of fast-neutron reactors to reduce the stocks of spent fuel.

Executive Director of the Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness Clint Wolfe said he hoped the commission would craft an entire energy policy.

Alternatives to the Yucca site are expected to come from a new “Blue Ribbon” commission appointed by the president. The committee will look into the best way to tackle the nation’s nuclear waste, but will not focus on Yucca; its formal decision will be delivered in two years, according to officials.

On the state level, the South Carolina Legislature is swiftly working to pass a resolution to support the terminated project.

“The South Carolina General Assembly calls upon the Department of Energy to assure the citizens of this state that the federal government will honor its long-standing commitment to provide for permanent nuclear-waste storage in an approved facility,” the resolution states.

The resolution has already passed the House and is now in committee in the Senate.

Contact Mike Gellatly at mgellatly@aikenstandard.com.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2010/01/07/met_562239.shtml

AIKEN — Upgrading six of Aiken County’s worst school facilities could cost $225 million, according to information presented this week to the school board.

District administrators pegged the price tag at anywhere from $168 million to $225 million to get Aiken High, North Augusta High, Leavelle McCampbell Middle, Jackson Middle, Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary/Middle and the career center past their “inadequate” status.

Deputy Superintendent David Caver presented the board with a breakdown of each school’s needs, including electrical, plumbing, security and capacity, which were considered inadequate at most of the facilities.

Leavelle McCampbell’s gym, for example, doesn’t meet Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines, and North Augusta High has about 1,650 students in a school built for 1,200.

Each of the six schools will hold an open house Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon for the public to see the problems board members saw when they toured each school before winter break.

As the board moves toward a possible bond referendum to fund the multimillion-dollar building projects, members said it’s important the public see that their vision isn’t about aesthetics.

“I think they would be appalled to go in and look at conditions those students and teachers are working under,” Chairwoman Christine Harkins said.

“If they don’t want to do it from the standpoint of a modern learning environment, then do it from a safety perspective, if nothing else,” she said.

Public input meetings will be held this month in each attendance area. The board will meet Feb. 9 to discuss feedback from Saturday’s open houses and each input meeting.

Reach Julia Sellers at (706) 823-3424 or julia.sellers@augustachronicle.com

COST ESTIMATES for Aiken county school upgrades

OPTION 1

Aiken High: Retain the F-wing and the Taylor Building, which houses the school’s gym and band facilities, and demolish the rest — $45 million

North Augusta High: Retain the gym and auditorium. Demolish and renovate facilities — $45 million

Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary/Middle: Move the school to the Ridge Spring-Monetta High site, which is within Aiken County lines, and create K-12 concept — $35 million

Leavelle McCampbell Middle: Renovations — $21 million

Aiken County Career Center: New construction and an addition in Area 4 — $9 million

Jackson Middle: new addition where oldest portion of school is located — $12 million

Total cost: $168 million

OPTION 2

Aiken High – Retain the F-wing and the Taylor Building, which houses the school’s gym and band facilities, and demolish the rest — $45 million

North Augusta High — new school site — $75 million

Ridge Spring- Monetta Elementary/Middle: Move the school to the Ridge Spring-Monetta High site, which is within Aiken County lines, and create a K-12 concept — $35 million

Leavelle McCampbell Middle: new school site — $22 million

Aiken County Career Center: Option 1 additions at Area 3 site and new Area 4 building — $15 million

Jackson Middle: new school site — $24 million

Total cost: $224 million

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions will offer an expanded number of four-hour public tours of Savannah River Site during 2010.

Clif Webb, the company’s vice president of public affairs, said 23 tours have been scheduled with enough space to accommodate 1,150 people. During 2009, 14 tours were held, and all were full or nearly full.

All tours will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the Center for Hydrogen Research, located off U.S. Highway 278 near the northern boundary of the site. The tours include details of current and future work activities and missions and site history.

The site tours also provide the opportunity for those interested in SRS to better understand the U.S. Department of Energy’s facilities and workers that changed the face of Aiken, Barnwell and Allendale counties, nearby cities and helped win the Cold War, Mr. Webb said

All tours are free, and each will accommodate 50 participants. Seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants may register by visiting the SRS tour Web site at: www5.hanford.gov/SRSTours/

SCHEDULED TOUR DATES

- Tuesday, Jan. 19; Wednesday, Jan. 27

- Tuesday, Feb. 9; Thursday, Feb. 25

- Tuesday, March 9; Thursday, March 25

- Tuesday April 13; Thursday, April 29

- Tuesday, May 11; Thursday, May 20

- Tuesday, June 8; Thursday, June 24

- Thursday, Jul y 8; Thursday, Jul y 22

- Tuesday, Aug. 3; Thursday, Aug. 19

- Thursday, Sept. 2; Tuesday, Sept. 21

- Tuesday, Oct. 5; Thursday, Oct. 21

- Tuesday, Nov. 2; Wednesday, Nov. 17

- Thursday, Dec. 2

Source: Savannah River Nuclear Solutions

Tuesday, January 05, 2010 – http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2010/01/05/bus_561950.shtml

An unexpectedly strong report on manufacturing activity Monday bolstered confidence that the nation’s factories will help sustain an economic recovery.

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However, a separate report noted construction spending dropped for a seventh consecutive month.

The manufacturing report by the Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, signals that industrial production is likely to keep expanding in coming months, economists said. That could lead, in turn, to increased hiring and job creation.

The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, said its manufacturing index read 55.9 in December after 53.6 in November. A reading above 50 indicates growth.

It was the fifth straight month of expansion and the highest reading for the index since April 2006.

The report helped boost stock markets on the first trading day of the year. Since 1973, a big advance on the first trading day of January has been a strong sign stocks gain throughout the year.

The ISM survey showed that inventories held by manufacturers’ customers are at their lowest level since the survey began tracking the category in January 1997. That’s another sign of future gains because more sales will have to be filled through new production rather than existing stockpiles.

That could lead to increased hiring as manufacturers ramp up production.

And a turnaround in employment could boost incomes and increase consumer spending, fueling the recovery.

The ISM’s employment index rose last month to 52 from 50.8, the third straight month it has topped 50.

“When orders are increasing and inventories are going down, that could push up one major weak spot: employment,” said Tim Quinlan, an economic analyst at Wells Fargo Securities.

A separate report on construction spending sounded a more cautionary note. Construction activity fell in November for a seventh straight month as spending on both residential and commercial projects declined. The 0.6 percent drop was bigger than the 0.4 percent decline that economists had been expecting.

Increased spending on federal construction projects, likely fueled by stimulus spending, was largely canceled out by lower state and local spending.

Still, the ISM said its index of new orders jumped last month to 65.5 from 60.3 in November, the highest level in five years. That indicates the overall index could near 60 in coming months, economists said.

By ROB NOVIT

Senior writer

Aiken County Board of Education members will continue their discussion of facility needs at a special meeting at the district office tonight at 7 p.m.

The focus of the meeting will be on the trustees’ tours of six schools targeted by the district administration as priorities for facility concerns.

The School Board is taking a comprehensive look at facilities at a time when rates for a possible bond issue would be relatively low. Any borrowing in excess of 8 percent of Aiken County’s total assessed value would require the board members to get voter approval in a bond election.

“Our role is to provide as much accurate information as we can,” said Superintendent Dr. Beth Everitt. “We want to make sure the board members have the facts to see what decisions need to be made.” http://ow.ly/16gFnp