By Alabama Public Radio
Mobile, AL – Mobile County schools Superintendent Harold Dodge wants to avoid paying rising construction costs. He's suggesting the system should cut ten percent of its building projects planned through 2006. System officials say the projects would cost about 20 percent more than the 110 million dollars originally anticipated last year. That's when the system borrowed money to complete its largest-ever building campaign. It includes building eight new schools and renovating 21 others. Dodge says he'll try to tap other sources to add an extra ten percent to the construction fund. The school board also is being asked to recommend projects that should be either cut or reduced. Dodge says he'll submit his plan for consideration at today's school board meeting, but he says it won't come up for a vote.