The Guthrie Board of Education will meet Thursday evening and are expected to approve ballot language for a $19.25 million bond election. School officials are hopeful to continue the school district’s momentum.
The district is aiming for a $19,250,000 bond proposal over five years until 2024.
If the agenda item is approved on Thursday evening (6:30 p.m. inside the Administration Building), the election will be held on April 2 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The measure would require 60 percent approval among voters in the Guthrie school district to pass.
The school board established a target millage for property owners of 17 mills. In the successful 2015 bond election, the target was 15.7 mills. However, due to faster than expected growth in the district, the millage never reached that mark and fell to 14.12 mills.
To compare those millage rates to nearby surrounding school districts, Edmond is at 24.96, Coyle 14.28, Deer Creek 36.56 and Crescent 39.03.
If passed, Superintendent Dr. Mike Simpson says an increase in property taxes would occur.
“What this means to our district patrons is an estimated monthly increase in property tax of $2.40 on a $100,000 home.”
If the bond election were to fail, the sinking fund (millage rate) would drop to zero mills.
In November, the Long-Range Planning Committee, which is mostly the same members who made recommendations for the 2015 school bond, for Guthrie Public Schools made a presentation on future project needs and infrastructure for the school district. Related article: School planning committee recommends replacing Cotteral Elementary
The specific projects, include repairs, renovations and improvements to Central Elementary School, Fogarty Elementary School, Guthrie Upper Elementary School, Guthrie Jr. High School and Guthrie High School, including but not limited to, HVAC replacement and upgrades, window replacement and tuck point exterior repair, addition of secure vestibules, renovation of restrooms, replacement of auditorium seating and lighting.
The costs of those projects are listed at $4,900,000.
Acquisition of classroom technology equipment, including additional computers, software licenses and service agreements at sites district wide comes with a cost of $915,000.
Constructing, equipping and furnishing a new Cotteral Elementary to be located on the existing Cotteral Elementary campus which will have a planned capacity of 500 students and will be approximately 50,000 square feet in size. The price tag sits at $13,435,000.
Related article: Guthrie BOE preparing to propose $19.2M bond issue
PROPOSITION
Shall Independent School District Number 1 of Logan County, Oklahoma, incur an indebtedness by issuing its bonds, to be issued in one or more series, in the sum of Nineteen Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($19,250,000) to provide funds for the purpose of acquiring or improving school sites, constructing, repairing, remodeling or equipping buildings, or acquiring school furniture, fixtures or equipment as authorized by Section 26, Article X, of the Oklahoma Constitution, which includes but is not limited to constructing, equipping and furnishing a new Cotteral Elementary School, and levy and collect an annual tax, in addition to all other taxes, upon all the taxable property in such District sufficient to pay the interest on such bonds as it falls due and also to constitute a sinking fund for the payment of the principal thereof when due, said bonds to bear interest at not to exceed the rate of ten (10%) percentum per annum, payable semiannually and to become due serially within ten (10) years from their date except bonds issued for equipment described in Section 15-106.1 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall become due within five (5) years from their date?
The ballots used at said election shall set out the proposition as above set forth and shall also contain the following words:
Yes — For the above Proposition
No — Against the above Proposition
I miss Terry Pennington on the LESB.