ALEXANDRIA
RECORDER
Your Community Recorder newspaper serving the communities of southern Campbell County
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
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Campbell County makes new middle school priority Chris Mayhew cmayhew@communitypress.com
Campbell County Schools will build up to two new middle schools after 2018 to make room for growing enrollment under a new long-range plan. The school district’s only middle school, at 8000 U.S. 27 in Alexandria, has 1,030 students in grades 6-8. Campbell County Middle School’s capacity is 1,200 students. The oldest part of the middle school complex opened in 1939. “We have an aging middle school that is relatively large in size in comparison to most middle schools across the state and county,” Superintendent David A. Rust said. The middle school will likely grow as population in Campbell County moves south, Rust said. Campbell County’s plan calls for building two new 550student middle schools. “As a former middle school principal for 11 years, I would like to see our community make an investment to reduce the size of our middle school,” Rust said. Campbell County’s Board of Education has approved the new long-range facility plan making middle schools a priority. Kentucky Department of Education is reviewing the plan before granting final approval. Campbell County’s first two plan priorities are an estimated $2 million to buy land and $18.1
THE COMMUNITY RECORDER/CHRIS MAYHEW
Buses line up to pick up students outside Campbell County School’s only middle school at 8000 U.S. 27. Campbell County is considering building as many as two middle schools.
million for a new middle school. The plan’s third priority is building a second new 550-student middle school on land the district already owns at the existing middle school. No funds have yet been set aside for a new middle school,
Rust said. Where Campbell County will build remains an open question. The district’s local facility plan committee discussed a desire to look for possibilities of building a school farther north than its existing schools to ac-
commodate residents around Highland Heights and Wilder, Rust said. “We discussed the building of a new middle school that would accomplish those goals,” he said. The northernmost schools
Cold Spring weighs park projects spending Chris Mayhew cmayhew@communitypress.com
COLD SPRING – Mayor Angelo Penque has asked council to consider whether to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to build a new lake park and a new amphitheater. Cold Spring Councilman Chris Ampfer will present his specific ideas at a May 8 council meeting for spending as much as $300,000 to build a new lake park behind Cracker Barrel at 4210 U.S. 27. Cracker Barrel has agreed to give the city the lake behind the new restaurant that is scheduled to open in July. Ideas for turning a lake into a park include building a trail for cycling and running, a shelter house and potentially stocking the lake for fishing. There’s no reason not to set aside money now since the city will have possession of the lake soon, Ampfer said. Councilmen Lou Gerding and Adam Sandfoss disagree. Gerding and Sandfoss want council to wait to approve any money – even to study possibilities – until the city has the property deed in hand. Penque additionally wants council to consider setting aside an additional $300,000 for a new amphitheater in next year’s budget. The city’s annual operating
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THE COMMUNITY RECORDER/CHRIS MAYHEW
Ducks swim past a no fishing sign on a lake behind where Cracker Barrel is building a new restaurant in Cold Spring. Cracker Barrel has promised to donate the lake to the city for use as a park.
budget is about $3.6. The new fiscal year starts July 1. “I believe that we have enough money to cover some different projects,” Penque said. Council will debate whether to spend
any money May 8. “It will all be decided that day,” Penque said. Cold Spring City Council’s 7:30 p.m. May 8 caucus meeting will be at the city building at 5694 East Alexandria Pike.
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are two elementary schools (Cline and Crossroads) in Cold Spring. Campbell County Schools has nearly 5,000 students who primarily live south of I-275. The five elementary schools feed into one middle school and one high school. More home building around Alexandria was only one factor considered, Rust said. Age and location of the current middle school and enrollment were considered. The mega 1,064-unit housing development Arcadia is under construction about a mile north on U.S. 27 from Campbell County Middle School. Arcadia is a mix of condominiums, town homes and single-family homes which Drees Co. and Fischer homes are building on 327 acres. Arcadia has Alexandria City Council studying commercial opportunities. Campbell County used to have two middle schools. The current middle schoo served as the district’s high school until Campbell County High School opened in 1995. The high school’s enrollment is 1,504 students. Capacity is 2,000 students. Rust welcomes a return of a northern and southern middle school. “I think it would also help us meet our community needs since there is quite a bit of distance between our northern to southern households,” Rust said.
COLLECTION TIME In the next few days, your Community Recorder carrier will be stopping by to collect $3.50 for delivery of this month’s Alexandria Recorder. Your carrier retains half this amount along with any tip you give to Krift reward good service. This month we’re featuring Savannah Krift who is in the eighth grade. In her free time she enjoys playing softball, running and playing with her dogs. If you would like more information about the junior carrier program, call Alison at 859-4423460.
Vol. 12 No. 27 © 2017 The Community Recorder ALL RIGHTS RESERVED