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Jessica Nelms

The current Walhalla High School, above will be the site of the Oconee County School Board’s Nov. 10 work session at 6 p.m. The work session is being moved to the high school in order to receive public input regarding three site options the School District of Oconee County unveiled on Tuesday for the new high school.

WALHALLA — The public will have an opportunity to comment on three proposed sites for the new Walhalla High School during the Oconee County School Board of Trustees’ 6 p.m. work session on Nov. 10 at the high school on Razorback Lane.

The sites selected by the board, all approximately three miles from the present Walhalla High School on Highway 183, are as follows:

• The west side of Highway 11 near Pickett Post Road, consisting of approximately 100 acres, with road frontage on Highway 11 and a right of way to Pickett Post Road

• The east side of Highway 11, across from Winstead Road, consisting of approximately 130 acres and road frontage on Highway 11 and Country Junction Road

• The south side of Highway 28 beside Bobby Wood Chevrolet, consisting of approximately 96 acres and road frontage on Highway 28 and Highway 11.

“Those are the three that would fit what we want to do,” said Oconee County School Board Chairman Andy Inabinet. “The biggest decision the board has to make is where to put it, because this building is going to serve students and citizens in Walhalla for the next 40-50 years. Therefore, we would welcome input as to where it should be located.”

Inabinet said the three sites under consideration have “the acreage, proximity to Walhalla, traffic flow, access to Highway 11 and Highway 28.” While Inabinet would not rule out the possibility of other sites, he added, “These are the three we’ve looked at and done preliminary work. We’re not looking for another site necessarily.” Though nothing has been officially determined, Inabinet said he anticipates a new football stadium would be part of the new Walhalla High School. The current school opened its stadium in 2003.

“The board looked at the present (school) site, but traffic flow problems and congestion just won’t allow enough room to build another school,” Inabinet said.

Inabinet said the school board’s decision not to raise taxes would determine the scope of the new Walhalla High School. While officials have discussed opening the new school in 2015, they quickly point out that no specific date has been set, adding that site work, final costs and ensuring there is bond issuing capacity with the other building projects must first be addressed.

District officials say their regular monthly work session was moved from the district office to accommodate a larger turnout expected for the meeting. In addition, a link to the survey opinion regarding the school’s location will be placed on the district’s Web site (www.oconee.k12.sc.us) from Nov. 10-17. The survey will also be available upon request by contacting the Office of School and Community Services at 886-4400, ext. 1103, 1123 or 1102.

Inabinet is hopeful the board can reach a final decision on the site by the first of the year, adding that negotiations with property owners would be required once that decision is finalized.

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