With the fate of a bond proposal for the Warren County R-III School District on the line during next Tuesday’s election, advocates are taking the final steps to inform voters of the details and …
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Facilities are focus of bond issue
Posted
By Derrick Forsythe,
Record Staff Writer
With the fate of a bond proposal for the Warren County R-III School District on the line during next Tuesday’s election, advocates are taking the final steps to inform voters of the details and need for passing the ballot issue titled Proposition A.According to Jim Sharp, chairman of the Citizens for Kids committee, the most important aspect to consider is that this is a no-tax increase proposal.“That is the key here,” said Sharp. “Voting yes will not raise your taxes, and voting no will not lower them.”The project outlined under Proposition A includes construction and renovations to all five school buildings in the district as well as the bus lot, with a total anticipated cost of $10,911,120.The no-tax increase was made possible by several factors, including 12 bond refinancings and three repayments over the past 21 years, which has saved $6,316,200 in future interest.The current construction market will enable the district to complete the proposed improvements at a cost-effective rate, according to Sharp. Under conservative estimates, the district’s current levy already produces sufficient revenue to support its existing debts as well as the proposed bond issue, supporters say.Sharp says the most critical elements of Proposition A are the changes which address the safety and security of the students and faculty members. Each of the campus locations currently do not require visitors to physically visit the office before they are allowed access into other areas of the building.“Every school building in the district was constructed in the years before armed assailants became a top-of-mind threat, and while the probability of such an event remains low, we all recognize the difference between a low-probability event and an impossible event,” said Sharp. “The district really does need to reconfigure those main entrances to funnel visitors to an area where they must first have contact with staff, who verify their identity and purpose for being there before allowing them further access.”Within the proposal are renovations to each of the entrance vestibules, which will filter visitors into a reception area where they can check-in and be identified.Sharp says the subject of school safety is particularly fresh considering an incident that took place recently, with schools being on lockdown while authorities searched for a murder suspect in a neighboring county.Aside from safety, he says the additional priorities of capacity and technology are also addressed in this bond proposal. “It’s a high-tech world,” said Sharp. “Once our students graduate, they have to go out and compete against kids who have that high base, and it’s not fair if we don’t educate them properly on the use of technology.”The most costly part of the project will address capacity issues when it comes to hosting extracurricular practices and events. The addition of a new multipurpose gymnasium at the high school is expected to cost $4,320,000 and will help to more easily accommodate teams that have had to share facilities in the past.“The student population continues to grow and we’re just packing kids into the gym,” said Sharp. “It was never made to handle that many people that often. The district is constantly having to find different venues for different sports.”He notes that one particular benefit of this proposal is its instant impact, as construction would take place over the summer with upgrades benefiting students and staff as early as August.“There is an immediate return on this, no doubt,” said Sharp. “We’ve done the planning process. We’ve figured out where the money needs to be and what needs to happen. Now it’s up the to the voters.”
The Warren County R-III School District is asking voters to approve a $10 million bond issue to finance extensive renovations and expansion to its facilities. Some of the projects that are proposed include constructing a multipurpose gymnasium at the high school.
