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Harmony Grove voters OK debt measure |
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Wednesday, 14 January 2009 |
Voters in the Harmony Grove School District approved a measure in a special election Tuesday that will allow the district to restructure its debt and make way for facilities improvements.
The measure also will free up funds for a scaled-down football program this fall.
Out of the 402 votes cast, 76.62 percent (308) voted in favor and only 23.38 (94) percent voted against the measure. There are 2,745 registered voters in the district.
With voters’ approval, the school district is now able to issue new bonds for the purpose of refunding outstanding bonds, equipping, making additions and improvements at the middle school, and refurbishing, remodeling and equipping existing school facilities.
Superintendent Danny Henley said this morning that he is pleased with the results.
“We’re very happy that voters approved this,” he said. “We plan to start construction as soon as the state gives us final approval.”
“The bond issue is for the middle school, and the state said they will give us approval in May,” Henley noted.
The results will not raise taxes. Now the district will be allowed to restructure the way the millage is spent. The total school tax levy of 39.4 mills that was presented on the ballot represents the same rate currently being collected.
Of the 39.4 mills, 25 mills are for general maintenance and operation and 14.4 mills are for debt service previously voted as a continuing levy pledged to the retirement of existing bonded indebtedness, the ballot states. The 14.4 mills will be a continuing debt service tax until the retirement of proposed bonds in the amount of $6 million. The ballot also states that the surplus revenues produced each year by debt service millage may be used by the district for other school purposes.
The Haskell community started a football program, called the Future Cardinals, last fall. It is for students in grades fourth-seventh.
Henley said he expects the school district to take over the seventh grade program this fall and they probably will start an eighth-grade program.
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