School board considering whether to put building proposal to public vote

 RED OAK – While the school board has decided to repair the middle school, discussions continue on a proposal that would eventually close the century old facility and permanently relocate students to the high school. 

The school board is contemplating two different approaches to a high school expansion that would allow the closure of the middle school.

One of the two proposals would require voter approval of a $25 million bond issue that would also finance construc tion of a new building at Inman primary and the closure of Washington Intermediate and Webster, allowing the district to consolidate from five campuses to two. 

The earliest possible date for a public vote would be in April 2015. 

The other proposal would not require voter approval as the district would borrow against future personal property and sales tax revenue to finance a $13 million expansion of the high school and closure of the middle school. The Inman/Washington/Webster component of the project would be postponed until voters approved a bond issue. 

The school board has discussed the proposals at length during its previous two meetings. 

“Getting out of the middle school as quickly as possible makes sense,” Board President Lee Fellers said at the Nov. 10 meeting. “It is an old building and it doesn’t provide the space we want, which is most important. It seems to me the earliest thing we want to do is put up a new building, a new high school, and get out of the middle school.”

Board member Dr. Warren Hayes advocated for a public vote as he sees it as more fiscally responsible while providing the community an opportunity to support the project. 

“My biggest fear is I don’t want to strap this district in terms of technology, or buying a bus,” he said. “I don’t want to cash strap the district and I think community ownership is important. Putting it to a vote is important. It has the risk of failure, but it also has the chance of passing.”

Board member Bill Drey said he would like to see new revenue projections based on declining enrollment. Current property and sales tax revenue projections are based on current enrollments with no declines. The district has incurred enrollment declines the last four years. 

The issue will be discussed again at the board’s Monday, Nov. 24 meeting starting at 5:30 p.m.