The County of Wayne and Wayne County Public Schools team up to pursue a grant for the construction of a new school.

Last week, the Wayne County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners approved the joint application for the Tier 1 Lottery Grant Funds that would support building the new elementary school in Fremont.

County Manager Craig Honeycutt explained the grant application to the Wayne County Commissioners last week.

Honeycutt says every dollar from the county will be matched by five dollars from the state up to $15 million from the state.

Commissioner Joe Daughtery noted it appears a new state budget – and its expected $19 million for school construction in Wayne County – won’t be approved anytime soon.

Daughtery says the county needs to prepare for trimming its budget due to the state budget impasse.

The Wayne County Board had given the go-ahead for the school district to purchase the 20.8 acre piece of property from Evans Farms in Fremont for $312,000 contingent upon the Board of Education agreeing to a joint application with the county for Tier 1 Lottery Grant Funds and the appropriate budget amendment.