The Seminole County Board of County Commissioners, serving as Trustees for the Seminole County Educational Facilities Authority (SCEFA), held a special meeting preceding the regularly scheduled Commissioner’s meeting on Monday, July 26. The purpose of the meeting was to approve a funding procedure for the new building at Wewoka Middle School.

Voters approved a $7 million bond proposal for the new building on April 6. It will be equipped with safe rooms and will be constructed in the same block as the district’s two other sites.

Attorney Bill Huser explained that the Seminole County Commissioners are the authority for SCEFA. Huser next introduced J.C. Leonard from Stephen H. McDonald and Associates, Inc as the financial advisor of the group, Stuart England with the Floyd Law Firm, P. C., and Wewoka Public Schools Superintendent Shellie Gammill.

England explained that this will be the third time financing has been made through the Seminole County Education Facilities Authority, starting with Sasakwa Schools in 2016 and Strother Schools in 2017. This will be the same structure as the two previous projects, with the Authority receiving a ground lease from the school district and then sub-leasing the improvements back. The school will make lease purchase acquisition payments, which will service the debt that’s being issued.

“In essence, the Authority is just acting as a ‘quasi-conduit’ issuer on behalf of the school district, which ultimately means there is no tangible liability to the county or the authority,” England explained. “The school is ultimately responsible for helping this project get to completion.” He added that they were simply helping the school get their money up front as opposed to the series of transactions that would otherwise be required. He pointed out the rapidly rising costs of construction materials, which is why they are anxious to get started as soon as possible. He also informed the SCEFA that the financing is structured for approximately fifteen years but is flexible if they want to pay it off earlier. Once approved, they will move forward with funding the remainder of the project, since they have already funded a little bit up front. This will finalize the financing and the project can then go out for bid.

The Trustees approved the resolution.

Superintendent Gammill had previously explained that the current building has problems with flooding, distance from the other facilities, an older outside cellar, and lack of play equipment. It has experienced severe flooding in the past despite efforts to divert the water away from the building. Although these efforts have helped, flooding continues to be a problem at times.

The current middle school building is located a block away from the cafeteria, vocational agriculture room and the auditorium, which is often problematic for both students and staff. When the new building is completed, students will no longer have to cross busy streets for meals or to attend high school band or vocational agriculture classes, which is especially problematic in inclement weather.

Students in 5th and 6th grades will have access to the playground as well as new areas for activities that will be created. The new facilities will also make it easier to schedule classes with shared faculty, according to Gammill. Students will have easier access to extracurricular classes taught in the high school building, and 7th and 8th grade students will be more easily able to take advanced coursework.