Web posted
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Bond issue still on the table
By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer
The Arkansas City Board of Education didn't set a new date for a bond issue vote Monday night, but they did give the nod to continuing the effort.
Superintendent Ron Ballard will confer with the school district's bond counsel and a citizens committee on the timing of a $36 million bond election for a school facilities improvement project.
It originally had been scheduled for Nov. 5, but was postponed because citizens leading the campaign in favor of the bond issue said they needed more time to inform the public of all the issues involving the massive project, which they believe will help get the bond issue passed.
Ballard said besides selecting a new date for the bond election, the board has to provide advanced notice to the State Board of Education of any changes in the original application for the bond election and the possibility of a mail ballot election.
The state board of education requires some lead time -- 60 days advanced notice -- of any changes to the application before the new application could be approved, he said. "If we only change the date, (the state board) wouldn't need advanced notice."
Regarding a possible mail ballot election, Ballard said such an election would be expensive because of the cost of postage. He said he had contacted County Clerk and Elections Officer Karen Brooks about the cost.
There are 10,300 registered voters in the local school district who would receive ballots for the school bond issue, including separate ballots for each registered voter per household, Ballard said. Election costs would include postage for the mail-outs as well as return postage for completed ballots to be mailed back. The cost would be well over $10,000. The board is not currently considering this option.
Brooks said each mailout would cost 87 cents, presorted, for the mail going to voters. In addition, it would cost 96 cents for inside pieces to be mailed back. It costs an extra 9 cents for mailed-back ballots because the pieces don't come back at a presorted rate, she said.
In other action, the board approved Arkansas City Middle School membership in a new athletics league, the Pioneer League, starting next school year, 2008-09.
Seventh- and eighth-grade sports teams are now competing in the Walnut Valley League, but that league is in "demise," Ballard said.
Athletics Director Tara Taylor appeared before the board to support the change.
"We felt the Pioneer League was a good fit," she said.
Arkansas City Middle School would compete in the league's Division 3, with Andover, Andover Central, Haysville Middle, Haysville West and Winfield. Some inter-division games would be scheduled with teams in Division 4, including El Dorado, Augusta, Rose Hill, Wellington and Circle.
"We hit a home run on this," said middle school Principal David Zumwalt, referring to the school's placement in Division 3. "Going up to the meeting I was in a world of hurt thinking we'd be going to Newton or Hutchinson, but we are playing teams close to home." (Newton and Hutchinson are in Division 1 of the league.)
A downside for some people will be the elimination of "C" team competition in volleyball and basketball. Students who couldn't make the "A" or "B" teams have been able to compete in "C" team games in the Walnut Valley League, but the Pioneer League doesn't have "C" team competition.
"You can expect some phone calls from parents of kids who didn't make the team after the coaches post their player lists after tryouts," Zumwalt said.
Another change would be charging spectators for tickets to attend games, Taylor said. This is done throughout the league and it would be required here as well.
The money from ticket receipts would be used to pay the people who work the gate, she said.
In other action, the board:
* Approved a one-year contract with Cowley County Mental Health for services to the county special education cooperative involving Ark City Schools and Winfield Schools.
* Appointed Arkansas City school board member Daren Reese to serve as the district representative at the 2007 Delegate Assembly of the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB).
* Approved board policy changes regarding staff-student relations and the annual operating budget.
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