DOBSON — School projects will once again be a key topic of discussion at the next Surry County Board of Commissioners meeting.

The commissioners will hold their next regularly scheduled meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. at the Surry County Government Center, and Dr. Ashley Hinson, superintendent of Surry County Schools, will bring several items before the board beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Hinson, North Surry High School Principal Bill Goins and Lt. Col. John Bowes, NSHS JROTC instructor, will first present the board with plans for a Memorial Day ceremony. Shortly thereafter, Hinson will give a progress update on the 1:1 Laptop Initiative. Several students should be present to talk about their experiences with having laptops for school.

This will be followed by a financing report on the Rockford Elementary School and Pilot Mountain Middle School projects. According to a memorandum in the meeting agenda packet, Surry County Schools will be requesting an additional $1.4 million to complete the Pilot Mountain projects and an additional $1 million for the Rockford Elementary project.

Prior to the Surry County Schools presentations, the commissioners will hold an open forum and hear a few other reports. At 6:15 p.m., a public hearing will be held regarding a guaranteed energy savings contract and financing for the project. Steve Zip of Johnson Controls will be present to make the final proposal for the contract.

In December, the commissioners approved Johnson Controls to conduct an energy audit of county government buildings. The company now believes that energy projects to make the buildings more efficient could save the county more than $2 million across 15 years. Johnson Controls is now asking the county to sign a contract for the project to begin.

At 6:30 p.m., Betty Taylor, assistant county manager for budget and finance, will speak to the board about financing matters. Then 15 minutes later, County Manager Dennis Thompson is scheduled to present general county business.

The commissioners will recognize several athletes and Boy Scouts of America at 7 p.m., followed by a break and the presentations from Hinson. The commissioners will go into closed session at the end of the meeting to discuss economic development and personnel.

When they come out of closed session, the commissioners will recess the meeting until Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. when they will hold a budget work session for fiscal year 2010-11. The work session will be held in room 335 at the government center.

Monday night’s meeting will be held in the county commissioners meeting room at the Surry County Government Center. The center is in Dobson at 118 Hamby Road. The public is welcome to attend.

Any person with a disability needing an accommodation at the meeting should contact the county manager’s office at 401-8201. Elkin residents should call 366-8201.

Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.