Most area education officials say they’ll take the money generated by expanding gambling to replace schools in their districts if it is offered to them.

Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonburg, asked House members earlier this week to look at a bill that allows the placement of video slot machines at horse tracks with the bill passing Friday. The idea behind the bill is to use the proceeds from the video slot machines to fund the replacement of 16 or so category five schools statewide, which are deemed to be in the worst condition.

The replacement of the category five schools will cost the state $10.5 million a year in debt service.

Stumbo also gave House members a list of category four schools and said some of those might be moved into the category five division and funded as well.

If all are considered, Stumbo said, it would cost the state about $61 million in annual debt service, according to a Glasgow Daily Times article published earlier this week.

Among the category five schools which Stumbo’s plan for gambling revenues might replace with new schools are: North Metcalfe and Summer Shade Elementary schools in the Metcalfe County School District.

“I believe there needs to be a plan to replace category five schools that provides assistance from the state. In our situation, we have four out of five schools that need replacement. Our facility plan calls for the replacement of three,” said Pat Hurt, superintendent of Metcalfe County Schools. “At an estimated $40 million dollars, it will be a very long time before our district can save that kind of money and the need is staring us in the face today. I can simply say to you that help is desperately needed in our district to provide for the needs of our children. I am not sure it is wise to present it as an “either/or” or even a “both/and” in the same sentence with gaming and slots. These are two separate issues being bound together politically and I can only speak to our really grave need for school facility replacement and the needs for our children (which) is what my priorities are as superintendent of schools in Metcalfe County. It is my business to advocate for kids.”

Those that are considered to be category four schools that might be replaced with the funding from the video slot machines are Glasgow High School and Caverna Elementary.

Kathy Goff, superintendent of the Glasgow Independent School District, said she had not yet made up her mind on the issue.

“I have not taken a position on the expanded gambling issue nor have I discussed this issue with the Glasgow Board of Education,” she said. “I have not had any conversations with the community or parents about this issue to date. Obviously, we all want to build a new Glasgow High School, but I am not in position to speak for the board or parents at this time.”

Jerry Ream, chairman of the Glasgow Board of Education, did have an opinion on the matter.

“If the Glasgow Independent School district were to receive funding for a new high school from the proceeds of video slots, we would accept it,” he said. “If we didn’t accept it somebody else would. We have to consider our student body and the benefits it would bring to our school district.”

Sam Dick, superintendent of the Caverna Independent School District, said he was surprised to learn that one of the schools his district would qualify.

“When we did our facilities plan it had all of my schools as three and they listed us as a four,” he said. “Looks like if I had a building that was a four it would be the high school because the elementary is not as near as old.”

Dick said he believes the state needs to do something to help school districts fund the replacement of school buildings.