After 212 months of deliberation, the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education voted unanimously to endorse a $97.8-million plan for new or renovated school facilities.

This plan — which calls for a $97.8-million bond referendum — incorporates 15 projects, including three new elementary schools, a new high school, alternative elementary, middle and high school programs and a Millennium Center for highly technical programs and distance learning.

Since their November retreat, the board has met several times, reviewing drafts of the plan. Although it is not legally required, board members have agreed that a unanimous vote is one part in the equation of a successful bond referendum.

Board members have disagreed most about additions and renovations to Salisbury High School.

In the plan approved Monday, Salisbury High School will receive $3.2 million for additions and renovations. The project will include a wing with two new science labs, three classrooms and guidance space. The existing guidance space will become room for a future JROTC program.

That’s about $900,000 less than originally proposed.

“I don’t like this,” said board member Dr. Ada Fisher, who has pushed for renovations and additions to Salisbury. “I don’t know of any other school we have nickel and dimed.”

For the sake of the bond, however, Fisher said she would support the plan.

Board member David Aycoth said he understands how important agreement is and that the issue is not floor plans and square footage but capacity. Aycoth said his concern lies in not being able to fill the building.

Aycoth questioned the motive behind allotting the existing guidance space for a JROTC program, saying he has heard it is something Salisbury High will never see.

Superintendent Dr. Wiley Doby assured Aycoth and the board that there have already been discussions about bringing the program to the high school.

Fisher questioned Aycoth’s motivation. “You really don’t believe that Salisbury High School needs to exist past 10 years,” she said. “I’m not willing to carry on this conversation any more.”

But Aycoth was not finished with his point and asked Fisher to allow him to continue the discussion about Salisbury High.

Aycoth said Fisher was wrong — that he isn’t sure the school system will need the existing Salisbury High School building in just four — not 10 — years.

“But that’s not an option on the table,” he said.

Aycoth said he questions keeping Salisbury High open because it is old, too close to North Rowan High School and a significant group of citizens do not want their children to go to the school. But, he added, the school has been an asset to the community.

Also as part of the plan, each of the five traditional high schools will get a new instructional gymnasium.

Board member Dr. Martha West proposed taking Salisbury High School’s portion for the auxiliary gym and putting it toward more renovations.

Aycoth opposed that idea, saying it would just be another thing other high schools had that Salisbury did not.

This morning, Salisbury Principal Dr. Windsor Eagle said the school’s gym needs modernization. Built in 1955, Salisbury High’s gym has been more heavily used than other facilities, Eagle said. “Our gym has been through a lot more wear and tear.”

Eagle said there is not enough money in the bond package to do a complete renovation of the gym. Such renovations would include a new entrance way, moving bathrooms and dressing rooms and expanding the lobby area. Eagle said he had recommended the possibility of using the auxiliary gym money for renovations to the existing gym.

However, the board did not approve that change to the plan.

“We will accept whatever the bond has for Salisbury High,” Eagle said.

Although they disagree about many issues concerning Salisbury High School, Fisher and Aycoth — as well as other board members — agree that redistricting will be a big part of the public’s acceptance of this plan.

Fisher said the board had wasted too much time micro-managing floor plans and not enough talking about the real issue to voters — redistricting. “The big issue is who is going to go where.”

Aycoth said board members would have to redraw lines for every district.

Vice Chair Kay Norman moved to accept the plan as it was presented Monday night.

Board member L.A. Overcash seconded the motion that passed unanimously.

After the vote, Norman addressed the board about members’ conduct during meetings. She asked board members to keep to the subject at hand and to respect one another. When someone asks a question of Doby or his staff, Norman said, she would like them to answer not another board member. “I don’t like other people honing in on the discussion.”

The school board is scheduled to present the new Facility Needs Plan to county commissioners on Feb. 14.

Contact Jillian McCartney at 704-797-4253 or jmccartney@salisburypost.com .