"This is water damage that's occurred over the last week and that's from old pipes that keep breaking," said Principal Frank Carey as he walked through the building.

But administrators said it's what people can't see at Weirton Heights, Liberty and Broadview elementary schools that's raising safety concerns.

Hancock County Superintendent Sue Smith said the buildings don't have sprinkler systems, and if a fire were to break out, it would likely spread quickly.

Though the National Fire Protection Code mandates all schools now have a sprinkler system, old schools -- like those in Weirton -- are exempt from the new standards and pass yearly inspections by the State Fire Marshal's Office.

"When these schools were built, they did not require that. That's why we don't have everything that a new school would have," Smith said.

A sprinkler system isn't the only current standard lacking at the schools. The buildings also don't have elevators or wheelchair-accessible entrances.

Survey: Should older schools be exempt from current safety standards?

Though administrators said the safety of children is very important, they said the schools haven't taken the initiative on their own because of cost.

"Money is always a factor with this. It would be a huge cost and I'm not sure with this that you could accommodate these old buildings the way it should be," Smith said.

Administrators said there is not funding available in the general budget to make all of the upgrades. But, they said all three elementary schools in question would close and new ones would be constructed if voters pass a school levy on Tuesday.

The $37 million levy would increase taxes for both home and personal property. The highest the increase would be is 15 percent.

"We are required to give the highest rate because we don't know what it's going to cost when we sell those bonds as far as the interest rate," Smith said earlier this month.

She said if a homeowner pays $600 a year, their taxes would increase $90 a year. In addition, if car and truck owners pay $400 a year, they would see an increase of $60 a year.

Because the W.Va. School Building Authority would provide $19 million as well, the passage of the bond levy would provide $56 million funding for the school system.

The money would be used for a new school that would consolidate three elementary schools. Funds would also be used to construct two new outdoor stadium facilities at both county high schools, Weir High and Oak Glen.

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Previous Stories: October 19, 2010: Hancock County Voters Question School Levy September 30, 2010: Hancock County Schools Ask Residents To Support Levy August 3, 2010: Questions Remain About Proposed Hancock County School Levy May 18, 2010: Hancock County Schools Plan Consolidation February 12, 2010: Hancock County May Get New, Consolidated Elementary School