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rest with the Planning Board if the development is approved and there are no facilities to provide for bicycles, skate boards, in-line skating, and so forth. He was also concerned about the adequacy of the schools to handle this new development. Ms. Barrows requested that he communicate this concern to the school system. He wrote, as result of that request, to Ms. Susan Dovenbarger of the school board asking her several questions about the adequacy of the schools to handle the increased number of children who would be coming from this development. Ms. Dovenbarger gave his letter to Superintendent Randy Bridges so that he could answer his specific questions. Mr. Hendrickson then reviewed each of his questions and the answers. 1) What elementary and middle schools will serve this subdivision? The answer to that question was Cameron Park Elementary and C.W. Stanford Middle School. 2) Assuming that one half of the anticipated number of the children from Lawrence Park will be in elementary school, will the designated schools be able to absorb this number? The answer was that Cameron Park is approximately 25 students under capacity this year. Last year the school was over capacity the entire year. According to Superintendent Bridges, the probable number of additional students who would be generated by Lawrence Park subdivision would bring the capacity to an impossible level. They would have to add mobile units to an already landlocked campus. Superintendent Bridges said that the quality of academic progress would be as big an issue as the space for teachers. The State would provide additional teachers if more students enter the system but there is no place to put them because Cameron Park has no place to put mobile units. He further stated that there are plans for the high school population to grow but there are no plans for a new middle school. A.L. Stanback and C.W. Stanford are at capacity. With the addition of this new subdivision as well as others that are in the planning stages, Orange County would need a new middle school in the next five years. 3) Would the designated middle school and Orange High School adequately serve the older children? Superintendent Bridge's answer was "no." He said that both the middle school and high school are at or above capacity. 4) What will be the actual cost to the school system to provide class instruction, adequate facilities, extracurricular services, transportation and other prescribed services of public education to these children? Superintendent Bridges answered that it was almost impossible to place a dollar amount on these services. Orange County currently allocates teachers at a ratio of 1 per 22 students at the elementary level and 1 per 25 students at the secondary level. These levels are less than the state allocations because this is what Orange County feels is in the best interest of its students. Local dollars are used to provide additional instruction. The state will provide additional teachers using the higher formula. Orange County would have to generate additional dollars to maintain its current level and would need more teachers. Schools cannot be built as quickly as these subdivisions are built. We would then have to lease or purchase mobile units. Leasing them could cost $7,000 per year. It would cost more than $30,000 for purchase and set up these mobile classrooms. The school receives approximately $2,020 per student from the County as local funds for the students. That amount, plus what we get from the state, gives our system approximately $5,000 per student. When you look at supplies, equipment, extracurricular activities and other services, that amount is not nearly enough. Mr. Bridges then spoke of transportation and the fact that Orange County has an efficient transportation system. However, to serve additional students, new buses would be needed and the state is very slow in providing funds to increase school bus service. The Superintendent further stated that even if the developer donates the land for a new school facility, the school system does not have the money to build the school. It costs between $10 and $15 million dollars to build a school and that money needs to be generated on the backs of the taxpayers of Orange County. 5) The last question was would the Board of Education request or demand compensation from the developer to provide for required new services or would they expect normal tax increases from Orange County taxpayers to support new growth. There was no answer from the Superintendent because that question would have to be answered by the School Board. Mr. Hendrickson said that neither Lawrence Park, nor any other planned subdivision, Q:119990221d.c