The Halifax County Board of Commissioners, which will meet Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in boardroom of the Historic Courthouse in Halifax, are expected to discuss which of the three funding options it will use to build the school.

County Manager Tony Brown said today the board will discuss three options — traditional funding like a bank loan; limited obligation bonds or a USDA installment loan.

Plans detailing how construction will proceed while old school is still being used.

Funding school construction, Brown said, has the possibility of commissioners having to consider a tax increase. “A tax increase is possible with any of the options as we're looking at the possibility of a million a year in payments.”

The county doesn't know for sure what interest rates would be on a traditional bank loan, Brown said, but they could possibly be in the 3-percent to 4 1/2-percent range.

Limited obligation bonds bring a lower interest rate but longer term, he said, while a USDA installment loan brings a lower debt service.

The site plans submitted to the city's planning and development department show the school to utilize 21.37 acres of land for the building.

Planning and Development Director Kelly Lasky said the state Department of Public Instruction and state Department of Insurance have the plans and comments from those agencies are expected by late next month.

The plans will also be distributed to the city's development review committee, which consists of the planning department, fire marshal, public works, state Department of Transportation, Dominion Power and the Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District as well as Nick Rightmyer with DM2 Engineering who will evaluate storm water and erosion control.

The site plans also show the logistics involved in building the new school while the old school is being used.