Arnold Elementary School PTA president Kerry Petz has been fighting for a new Arnold Elementary for years after reports of classroom flooding, bathrooms without doors and myriad other issues at the 49-year-old building on Church Road.

Construction of the new Arnold school is contiuning as part of the county’s six-year, $764 million plan for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

The new Arnold Elementary building will cost the county $41 million and is expected to open in 2019. It’s an 89,000-square-foot project that will serve more than 550 students.

The new building will come too late for Petz’s children to enjoy, but it was worth the fight, Petz said.

“Obviously it took a little longer than we thought,” Petz said. “But we made sure we got the school the community deserved.”

County and state officials gathered Tuesday to note the county’s construction and design projects. County Executive Steve Schuh was joined by County Councilman Michael Peroutka of Millersville and Del. Michael Malone of Crofton.

The three — all Republicans — highlighted the efforts it took to find and secure funding for county projects, including the new Crofton High School long requested by parents to ease capacity issues.

The influx of construction and design money was made possible by extending the terms of county bonds. Previously they were limited to 20 years, but a change in 2015 allows the county to borrow for 30 years. This means the county can take on larger debts but maintain similar payments on bigger projects.

As part of the change, bonds can only be used on projects that would last at least the length of the bond.

“It’s sort of like having a three-year car loan versus a five-year car loan,” Schuh said. “For the same monthly payment, you can have a much better car if you are on five-year terms than three-years terms.”

“But there is no free lunch,” he said. “It means the bonds are outstanding longer and in the long run we will pay that extra interest. In this environment when interest rates are very low, it is certainly in the best interest in the students of Anne Arundel County to take advantage of the low costs of funds to get through this absolutely necessary construction.”

Schuh’s news conference Tuesday came a week before county students return to their schools.

The scope of the county’s school construction is also causing one-day start delays in some areas. Chesapeake High School; Severn River Middle School; Arnold, Brock Bridge, Manor View and Shady Side elementary schools will have staggered starts.

ccook@capgaznews.com