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The Feb. 14 election has some superintendents of dependent school districts concerned that the proposed capital improvement projects will hamper their ability to make future upgrades and improvements to their schools.
Four out of the five capital improvement projects on the ballot will be paid for with General Obligation Bonds, if approved. Those bonds are paid for by an ad valorem property tax increase, which is traditionally a source of funding used by school districts to fund upgrades and improvements to school facilities.
The school districts will still be able to hold bond elections, but the four dependent district superintendents in Shawnee city limits are concerned that if the bond propositions pass, the residents that have property in city limits and the school districts will not approve school bond elections in the future.
“I think, if all of them are passed ... it will make it harder for North Rock Creek to pass a bond in the future,” Blake Moody, superintendent of North Rock Creek, said. “I do appreciate what the city is trying to do, very much. As far as upgrading facilities, upgrading roads, but the propositions will have an impact on my school district.”
A large majority of North Rock Creek is in Shawnee city limits, but most of it is industrial, Moody said. The school passed a 10-year bond in May 2010. When that bond is completed, the district will need more upgrades and improvements, the funding for which might include continuing the bond or issuing new ones, Moody said.
“Pass or fail on the city’s issues will impact that,” he said.
Moody also said he wants the city and the school to maintain a open communication so that his district can work out bond issues with the city in the future.
“I am extremely interested in keeping a strong relationship with the city of Shawnee. As a dependent district, I need cooperation and the city needs cooperation from me, for when these very issues come up,” Moody said.
Arlene Burton, the superintendent of Pleasant Grove, shares Moody’s concern.
“It might make it a little more difficult down the road for us to pass a bond issue in the future if that is something that we need to do,” Burton said. “As a school, I’m certainly not wanting to take one side over the other.”
Pleasant Grove passed a bond issue approximately five years ago for approximately $180,000, but Burton did not have the specific information of that bond. Burton said the February election poses new issues for Pleasant Grove.
The Feb. 14 election has some superintendents of dependent school districts concerned that the proposed capital improvement projects will hamper their ability to make future upgrades and improvements to their schools.
Four out of the five capital improvement projects on the ballot will be paid for with General Obligation Bonds, if approved. Those bonds are paid for by an ad valorem property tax increase, which is traditionally a source of funding used by school districts to fund upgrades and improvements to school facilities.
The school districts will still be able to hold bond elections, but the four dependent district superintendents in Shawnee city limits are concerned that if the bond propositions pass, the residents that have property in city limits and the school districts will not approve school bond elections in the future.
“I think, if all of them are passed ... it will make it harder for North Rock Creek to pass a bond in the future,” Blake Moody, superintendent of North Rock Creek, said. “I do appreciate what the city is trying to do, very much. As far as upgrading facilities, upgrading roads, but the propositions will have an impact on my school district.”
A large majority of North Rock Creek is in Shawnee city limits, but most of it is industrial, Moody said. The school passed a 10-year bond in May 2010. When that bond is completed, the district will need more upgrades and improvements, the funding for which might include continuing the bond or issuing new ones, Moody said.
“Pass or fail on the city’s issues will impact that,” he said.
Moody also said he wants the city and the school to maintain a open communication so that his district can work out bond issues with the city in the future.
“I am extremely interested in keeping a strong relationship with the city of Shawnee. As a dependent district, I need cooperation and the city needs cooperation from me, for when these very issues come up,” Moody said.
Arlene Burton, the superintendent of Pleasant Grove, shares Moody’s concern.
“It might make it a little more difficult down the road for us to pass a bond issue in the future if that is something that we need to do,” Burton said. “As a school, I’m certainly not wanting to take one side over the other.”
Pleasant Grove passed a bond issue approximately five years ago for approximately $180,000, but Burton did not have the specific information of that bond. Burton said the February election poses new issues for Pleasant Grove.
“We’ll just kind of have to see how it all plays out,” she said.
Ken Leone, superintendent of South Rock Creek, does not think the Shawnee capital improvements will be good for his school district because it will increase taxes for projects the district and members will not benefit from.
“I don’t think that any of it would benefit us in anyway,” Leone said.
Only a small part of the South Rock Creek is in the city limits, which is why the district will not benefit. The projects would also affect the school’s ability to pass bonds in the future, Leone said.
South Rock Creek passed a $725,000 bond in September, which is the maximum bond amount for the district.
“That would increase taxes, so that would make people’s ad valorem taxes ... increase, if it does pass,” Leone said.
Mickey Maynard, superintendent of Grove Elementary, did not return phone calls to the Shawnee News-Star as of press time.
