By Paula Grubbs, Eagle Staff Writer

ADAMS TWP — A new middle school in the Mars School District will have to wait.

The school board on Tuesday voted to borrow $10 million for upgrades, replacements and repairs in the district.

The board last week discussed borrowing $31 million to build a new middle school because the current building needs extensive repairs.

The board’s original plan a few months ago was to borrow $5 million, but that amount was raised to $10 million.

Bond experts from Janney Scott Montgomery said last week that getting a bond now would extend out the date when the district could borrow enough to build a new school under the state school code.

But the board elected to seek a $10 million bond now instead of borrowing the larger amount to build the school.

Superintendent Wesley Shipley said Tuesday that a deciding factor in opting for the $10 million bond was limited cash on hand.

He said considering the district’s tight budget and the inability of the state to reimburse districts for new construction, he could not recommend depleting the district’s savings by building a new school.

However, the repayment of the $10 million is within the district’s budgetary means, Shipley said.

“It’s something we need to do because it allows us more flexibility with our cash that we have on hand right now,” he said.

Board President Dayle Ferguson said the administration and board must now consider a range of options for the middle school.

She said the board recognizes that by borrowing the $10 million, the renovations at the middle school will need to be scaled back.

A facilities study determined that the school needs $20 million in total renovations.

“We’ve weighed the pros and cons and the decision is to proceed (with the $10 million bond),” Ferguson said.