Web posted
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Board still pondering referendum
By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer
The Arkansas City Board of Education did not set a date during its Monday evening meeting for a $36 million facilities improvement project bond election. But it is expected to do so at its next regular Nov. 12 meeting.
Also at its next meeting, the board is expected to decide whether the election will be a traditional one where voters go to polling places to cast ballots or whether they will vote by mail-in ballot.
The board did not directly address either of these issues. Instead, it authorized Superintendent Ron Ballard to bring back a new bond resolution to be presented at the next meeting.
Ballard asked board members if they were satisfied with the recommended election date of March 4, 2008. No one directly answered, but none voiced opposition.
"They seemed to be in agreement (with the March 4 date)," school district spokeswoman Alicia Call said today.
Ballard also provided new information on the mail-in option for a bond election. He said the county election officer had done further research and found that a mail-in election could cost only half as much as originally thought.
Such an election would cost $10,000 compared to the original figure of $20,000. The election would cost less if the county used smaller ballot envelopes than originally planned.
Cowley County Clerk Karen Brooks today confirmed that after researching how other Kansas counties have conducted mail-in elections, she found that a mail-in election could be held for half the cost.
"We refigured the cost based on what other counties have done," she said. "The difference is due to postage and size of ballot."
In other action, the board:
* Directed the schools' administration to review existing handbooks for statutory compliance and adherence to recommended policy wording by the Kansas Association of School Boards.
* Postponed until the next meeting a review of proposed KASB resolution and policy amendments, and directing support or opposition to these issues by board member Daren Reese. He is the USD 470 representative to the KASB assembly, and was absent from Monday night's meeting.
* Heard a report on achievements of IXL Elementary School by school Principal Mark Whitener.
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