Countdown starts for June 10 vote to levy tax for new high school
Posted on Sunday, April 6, 2008
Siloam Springs residents awoke this morning much in the same way that they always do. While stretching rested limbs and fetching early cups of coffee many didn’t realize that a movement is stirring within the school district.
As of today, a 64-day countdown starts on a monumental decision that will affect students, property owners and the community.
At a June 10 election in Siloam Springs, school patrons will vote on a 5. 4-mill tax increase to finance building a new school for grades 9-12.
“ As a school district we can’t conduct political activities or push a vote, ” said Quintin Trammell, chief financial officer for the Siloam Springs School District. “ We can inform but we can’t persuade and our hands are tied as far as what we can do goes. ”
A mill, one-tenth of a cent, generates $ 1 for every $ 1, 000 of assessed property value. Projected cost of the new high school is estimated at $ 53, 201, 000. For the school to be built, and price bidding and construction to begin, voters must approve the millage increase, Trammell said.
The state has pledged $ 15. 3 million to the district. The district is also allotted $ 1. 5 million in interest and private donations for the new school and has $ 3 million in additional cash on hand. The tax increase is needed to fund the more than $ 33 million that remains to be raised.
With the knowledge that voters in the Bentonville School District turned down a millage request of $ 209 million at a special election in March, Trammell said it’s most important that local voters understand why a new facility is needed and understand specifics of the millage request.
The recent Bentonville millage vote was for an additional 3. 99 mills of property tax. According to a March 12 article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the additional money would have been used to build six schools within the next five years and to upgrade existing facilities and implement new technology in the district.
“ People want a new school but the issue seems somewhat neutral right now within the community, ” Siloam Springs assistant superintendent Kent Raymick said when asked about local opinion on the property tax increase. “ We aren’t hearing negative feedback but people aren’t coming in off the streets with positive either. ”
With fingers crossed that the millage passes, district officials are working with representatives from Rogers’ architectural firm Hight-Jackson Associates in planning particulars for the prospective building.
“ We have $ 30, 000 allotted for this planning process, and hope to have a contract put together by the fall, ” Raymick said. “ We can’t start taking bids, finalizing design or obtaining construction documents until after the vote. ”
If all goes according to district officials’ plans, doors to the new high school will open in August 2011. The election was delayed when the date was pushed to June instead of March because of paperwork that had to be filed with the state, Trammell said.
“ Every month counts, every week counts at this point, ” Raymick said. “ Come August 2011, we’re going to be wishing for the three months we lost from March to June. ”
While Trammell said that June is the absolute latest that the election can be held in keeping with the August 2011 opening date, he agreed with Raymick that it can be done.
“ We were putting the finishing touches on Allen Elementary the day before it opened, ” Raymick said. “ It’s a tight timeline and a lot of work but it will come together. ”
Between now and the election, the design for the new school, which was narrowed down to a basic prototype stemming from three separate concepts, is available for public viewing, inquiries and input. Currently, architects are meeting with faculty and staff to ascertain room requirements, Trammell said.
The design, a hybrid of an elongated design commonly referred to as the “ spine” model, is still in its infancy. Many decisions, including whether to build a two-story or three-story academic wing, are still up for debate and determination, Raymick said.
Presentations are being made throughout the community to faculty, parents, civic and church groups, and local businesses. Similar presentations were held at booster club meetings last week, high school college planning conferences with parents, and school staff meetings.
“ The original facilities steering committee that formed and proposed building a new school is pretty much done and has split into three subcommittees, ” Raymick said. “ They are actively driving toward the June vote and promoting the millage. ”
The newly formed committees, all rallying around the slogan “ Vote ‘ Yes’ June 10 ” include a group that is working to spread the word about the election, a marketing committee, and the speaker’s bureau, which is organizing presentations.
“ We would like to encourage every eligible Siloam Springs resident to cast their vote at the June 10 election, ” said Stacy Vaughn, chair of the marketing committee. “ Anyone not registered to vote can visit the county clerk’s office at 707 S. Lincoln St., by the May 12 registration deadline. ”
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