FOLEY, Ala. — A high school in Elberta is on the radar of Baldwin County Director of Schools Dr. Alan Lee.

In a community meeting at Foley High School Monday evening, Lee named that as one possible answer to growth in public schools in the Foley feeder pattern.

“I know many of you have been waiting for that for a long time,” Lee said when hoots and applause erupted.

For Foley High, the director of schools proposed adding a fine-arts wing.

“I believe this is a start,” Lee said.

He also listed the addition of a wing to Magnolia School and eliminating the current portable classrooms.

“In Foley, itself, we need to build another elementary school,” he said to thunderous applause. “Foley Elementary School is the largest elementary school in the state.”

The director of schools also pointed out the National Guard’s plans to build a super armory in Foley, which will then house a county-wide career-technical program.

Monday’s meeting was one of a series the school system is conducting in Baldwin County to address the growing number of students.

“In 2007, we had 26,700 students enrolled in the Baldwin County School system,” Baldwin County Public Schools Chief Financial Officer John Wilson said.

He explained that over the years, that number has increased and is expected to go up.

“In five years, a 12-percent growth is expected in the Foley feeder pattern,” Wilson said. “That’s over 800 students in the next five years.”

He attributed that growth to such pending projects as Blue Collar Country, City of Foley’s new Sports Complex, Air Bus and planned expansions at UTC, Vulcan and South Baldwin Regional Medical Center.

“Foley is probably the fastest-growing feeder pattern in the entire county,” Wilson said. “We could easily exceed 1,000 students, or 15-percent growth, in five years.”

As for current schools in the Foley feeder pattern, Lee explained that all have been assessed on a minimum-standard scale consisting of 14 points that include such provisions as adequate lighting, safe and dry buildings and modernized restrooms. With an academic letter-grading systems, all are ranked as follows:

* A: Foley High, Foley Middle, Magnolia School, Elberta Elementary

* B: Foley Intermediate, Foley Elementary, Elberta Middle, Summerdale School

However, Swift School holds the lowest grade in the feeder pattern with a D. Lee pointed out the lack of parking, need to build a wing and eliminate the seven portable classrooms, need to upgrade restrooms and the need for a better intercom system in reasons for the grade.

School system leaders pointed out that any improvements would require funding.

“The state appropriation for the 2014-15 school year is about a billion dollars less than in 2008,” Wilson said.

He recounted the negative impact state cuts had on the Baldwin County School System and the five-year penny tax, when helped cushion the loss.

“When the state cuts funding, our local funds have to cover that loss,: Wilson said.

The penny tax, he explained, helps the operating costs of $19 million a month. But the price tag of capital improvements in the Foley feeder pattern are project to be more than $60 million.

Lee pointed out how to raise the money for those projects.

“There are only two ways the school board can get funding,” he said. “Sales tax, or ad valorem tax, or property tax. There are no other options.”

Lee suggested raising the county’s current property-tax rate, which is 12 mills.

“That serves us pretty well,” the director of schools said. “But we are at the lowest in the state.”

Lee listed other areas with higher millage rates.

“Hoover is at 48 mills,” he said.

One man asked whether passing a temporary 1-cent sales tax and designating it for capital projects would help.

“Would that be enough?” he asked.

To which Lee said it would not.

Elberta Town Councilman Michael Hudson proposed letting residents come up with an answer to the financial questions.

“What about putting the solution before the people?” he asked.

“It would just look like putting problems before the public with no answers,” Lee said.

However, Hudson disagreed.

“I just believe most people will be more receptive of more money going out of their pocket if they know,” he said.

One woman suggested one day transitioning Swift School, which is in Bon Secour, to the Gulf Shores feeder pattern, as a solution in that area.

At the end of the meeting, Lee pointed out that none of his own suggestions for improvements were set in stone.

“The School Board hasn’t voted on anything,” he said. “These are just my ideas.”

Lee added that school-system leaders would factor in suggestions made at Monday’s meeting to its considerations for addressing growth and improvements. He added that information presented at the meeting would be available at BCBE.org.