Richmond County school board members are weighing plans to save taxpayers more than $17 million, but the catch is most of that savings would come from closing five schools.

Kathy Brooks, who led an extensive audit of the school system for MGT of America Inc., recommended that at minimum three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school be closed during a presentation Thursday to board members. Closing the schools would save $11.7 million, while also improving the remaining schools academically through reinvestment of those funds and following other recommendations of the audit.

In total, the audit found $17.6 million that could be saved over the next five years. It also suggests almost $13 million in improvements. The net savings comes to $4.6 million.

No schools were named, but Ms. Brooks suggested closing the schools that are most underenrolled. Countywide, schools are underenrolled by 6,000 pupils.

"That's huge," she said.

Closing schools is controversial, but it needs to be done, Ms. Brooks told board members. If the savings are reinvested back into schools, they will go a long way toward improving education for all pupils.

Superintendent Dana Bedden has said previously there is a need to consolidate schools and reiterated that need after Thursday's meeting.

"It's a controversial issue, but in reality they're talking about $12 million in savings that could be redirected," Dr. Bedden said. "Given that we are struggling to meet the needs and still remain competitive with salaries, with technology where (the savings) can be spent in schools where we are woefully inadequate; there are going to be some tough choices."

Board member Marion Barnes said he supports the recommendations of the audit at this point, including closing schools, but said he must still review the rationale behind its conclusions before making up his mind.

"Every area and every neighborhood will want their school to remain, so how are you going to select which schools?" he asked. "That will probably become political."

Five of 10 board members are up for election this year.

Mr. Barnes said he was almost run off the board when he suggested closing a school a year ago. He said that construction projects at schools might need to be halted temporarily until board members decide how best to proceed with the audit's recommendations.

Although school closings account for most of the savings in the audit, the audit also recommends other measures to make the school system more effective and more efficient.

That includes a complete restructuring of the school board's central offices, consolidating the current positions for deputy superintendent, three assistant superintendents and a controller into two assistant superintendent positions -- one assigned to operations and the other responsible for instruction.

Ms. Brooks detailed each of the audit's nine areas, calling for restructuring each one, but board President Jimmy Atkins offered words of caution about MGT of America.

"The only thing they have the power to do is to make recommendations, so I want the public to understand no decisions have been made at this point," he said. "Reorganization does not mean termination."