The chairman of the Howard County Council warned the school board yesterday that its ambitious plans to build new schools may need to be curtailed.
"Looking ahead, there is no way we can ever afford to do all the things we want to do in Howard County," said Charles C. Feaga. "The things are great that we're doing in the county, but the time may come when we can't afford to do all of them, and it may hit us all at once."
Mr. Feaga's comments came at the conclusion of the first meeting between the newly elected council and board, as they began preliminary discussions of next year's school budget.
During the meeting, another council member suggested that the board consider saving money by expanding schools instead of constructing new ones. But board members said they have rejected this approach because making the schools larger might lead to problems in education.
Although the school system's final budget will not be submitted to the board until sometime next month, Superintendent Michael E. Hickey estimated that he will be requesting a 5 percent increase over last year's $217.6 million operating budget.
"This year, once again, growth is really the driving factor in our budget," Dr. Hickey said. School officials forecast that more than 1,800 new students will enter the system next year -- the largest increase in county history. The system now has about 36,000 pupils.
More than 200 teaching positions as well as some support and maintenance personnel will be added to accommodate the new students, Dr. Hickey told the council. Those new jobs will be included in the budget request.
Dr. Hickey pledged that administrative expenses will not increase over last year, and he pleaded with the council not to try to find ways to cut that category.
As part of the school system's "Beyond the Year 2000" project, the school system's central administration is expected to be reorganized and reduced next year. Dr. Hickey asked the council to give him the chance to make changes next year instead of making cuts this year.
"I am asking to buy a year of time, and I make a commitment that next year we will show substantial changes in the central administration," he said.
But several council members questioned whether administrative costs actually will be reduced or just shifted to the budgets of individual schools as the system moves toward allowing schools to make more of their own decisions independent of the central system.
Dr. Hickey predicted that some administrators would be added -- including a third assistant principal to all high schools -- but he said there would not be a substantial increase in administrative positions.
With enrollment predicted to reach 47,000 students by 2004 -- about 11,000 more students than this year -- school officials are looking at building new schools and renovating existing ones.
The system's long-term capital budget calls for $300 million to be spent over the next 10 years, much of which would be for building seven elementary, four middle and four high schools.
But interest on the county's debt -- including school construction debt -- already represents 11.5 percent of the county's $315 million budget, and Mr. Feaga questioned whether the county can afford to borrow even more money to build schools.
Council member Darrel Drown suggested that the board use the planned renovations of high schools as a way to expand capacity and to avoid building new schools.
"Increasing a high school's capacity from 1,400 to 1,600 to me does not seem statistically significant, compared to the costs saved from building a new high school," Mr. Drown said.
"I consider it one of my duties to be the protector of the taxpayers' pocketbooks. . . . And if we're going to renovate, let's expand, too, and save ourselves the cost of a brand-new high school."
But several board members argued against the idea of expanding schools instead of building new ones, warning of the dangers of making schools too large.
"We have made a commitment not to make the schools as large as we possibly can," said Susan J. Cook, the board's chairman. "It is not just dollars and cents. There are people inside."
The school board will begin consideration of Dr. Hickey's proposed budget next month, and the version it approves then will be turned over to the council and county executive.
In other business yesterday, the council voted to delay consideration until February of a bill to adapt the county's zoning procedures to bring them in line with the zoning referendum approved by voters last month.