FORTY WV SCHOOLS SEEKING $70 MILLION IN SBA MONEY

(03/25/2008)
The state School Building Authority will take a month to determine who's getting a share of the $70 million up for grabs in SBA grants.

Forty West Virginia school systems have presented projects to the Authority last week.

Calhoun opted out of the proposals this year.

The proposals totaled $256 million.

SBA Executive Director Mark Manchin says an additional $20 million was added to the pot this year, but it's a far cry from meeting everyone's needs.

"Even with that additional money there are still two-thirds of the projects we simply cannot fund," Manchin said.

Manchin says there's one criteria that will win out every time.

"The Authority, the Governor, the Legislature, all of us agree that the highest priority as we look at this projects is health and safety of children."

The SBA heard three proposals from schools that Manchin says "just couldn't be ignored," but he declined to name the counties.

The SBA will release the list of schools on April 21st.