During the course of talking with Poteau School patrons, there have been some very good questions asked concerning the upcoming Bond Election on October 13th. The most frequently asked questions include the following.
How can there be no tax increase?
A frequently asked question regarding the upcoming Poteau School Bond Election concerns the issue being a no tax increase initiative. To answer that question, the district will be paying off the bonds that were voted in 2005. The new bonds to be voted on October 13th will come on the tax rolls as the old bonds are paid off. Passing the initiative means that Series I of the new bonds can be sold in June 2010 and construction will begin. The second series of bonds will be sold some months later. By voting new bonds on as old bonds are being paid off taxpayers will continue to pay the same millage rate—slightly under 9 mills for the Poteau School District.
I live in the district, but my voting precinct is in another community—can I vote in the Poteau School Bond Election?
Yes! Many Poteau School patrons live in an outlying area of the district. Their address may even be from another town. However, any registered voter living within the Poteau District may vote in the October 13th Bond Election. All voting precincts that serve the Poteau School District will be open on Tuesday, October 13th.
How did the District decide on the improvements listed in the Bond Issue?
School Districts are required to develop a Capital Improvement Plan. The Plan is approved by the Board of Education. Last year a Facility Improvement Committee made up of local patrons was formed. The group toured all four schools, assessed all buildings and developed a list of needed improvements for each site. The needs were prioritized and included in the District’s Capital Improvement Plan last spring. Improvements from the Plan have been included in the Bond Issue before the voters on October 13th.
Why were roof repairs not included in the Bond Issue?
Poteau District has been aggressively repairing and replacing roofs in the district over the past two years. All roofs at the Primary School have been replaced with a new roofing system. At the Middle School, the gymnasium was re-roofed two years ago and one wing of the main building got a new roof last spring. At the September Board of Education meeting, the Board approved a new roof for the Poteau High School library/science/ technology wing of the main building and repairs to the Upper Elementary building roof. The work will begin on these two projects as soon as the rain lets us. Additionally, bids have been posted for the barrel roof at the high school. Bids will be decided at the October Board Meeting. In summary, the roof leaks throughout the District will be repaired before the funds from the bond issue will become available to spend. Bond issue funds will not be available until after June 1, 2010.
Is additional classroom space included in the Capital Improvement Plan?
Yes, there will be additional classroom space at the high school when the projects are completed. The space where the current principal’s office is located will be converted into two state-of-the-art technology/computer classrooms. Additionally, by moving the high school offices into one centralized location in a new building that connects the high school building with the civic center, classroom space currently used for offices will be freed up in the civic center. While not in this bond issue, there are plans to divide the multi-purpose saferoom buildings into useable classroom space at the Primary and Middle School. This will be accomplished by using sturdy wall dividers that open when the larger space is needed as a saferoom.