Voters to decide on $11.4M school improvements in May
After months of board discussions, community meetings and several revisions to the proposed school renovation plan, the Giltner School Board voted Monday night approving a resolution to put a bond issue on the May primary election ballot. The amount of the bond was set at $11,415,000.
Tobin Buchanan from First National Capital Markets explained the purpose of the resolution to the board at Monday’s meeting.
“So the resolution is you voting to place the issue on the ballot at the May primary,” he said. “It’s still called a special election to be held at the May primary when a school calls an election.”
Buchanan stated that under the resolution the bond amount for the general description of the project could be potentially under the $11.4 million figure, but cannot exceed that amount.
“That just means the public’s going vote for or against — every registered voter in your district — for or against allowing you the authorization to issue bonds up to but not to exceed that amount,” he stated. “So it could be under, but cannot go over.”
Buchanan said the resolution was prepared by bond attorney Tyler Mullen from Baird Holm LLP in Omaha.
“If a majority of the vote is to put that on the ballot, then we’ll get everything signed up,” Buchanan stated. “Then probably Dr. Mumm or someone from the district will present that fully signed resolution to the election commissioner. She’ll sign that everything’s in good order, certify that it is and she’ll contact the secretary of state and we’ll have an election.”
Buchanan said prior to the election he and other representatives of his firm would be working with the school board to help inform the voters.
“We talked about it at the very beginning that if there is going to be a bond election, then this team and other representatives from our group, they move into the phase of working with some of you as community members getting all this information out to folks,” he said. “I would anticipate through the month of April, especially with the election May 7, your public will be immersed in different opportunities, whether it’s mailings, small group meetings, informational pushes on social media or informational websites they can go to, will determine how many public meetings we have. There’s quite a bit of awareness I think, but we’ll still probably want to have some kind of public meeting or meetings to really get into the nitty gritty.”
“We’ll want to identify that group of folks that just really want to help people get information, not telling people how to vote, but making sure they understand every component,” Buchanan concluded.
Prior to the vote, Board President Ross Lyon read aloud the resolution. The vote was 6-0 in favor of putting the bond issue to a public vote. Following the vote each board member and Supt. Nick Mumm signed the document confirming they approved the resolution authorization
Lyon expressed his congratulations to the board.
“I think there was a lot of good work that happened here in our district,” he said.
Current plans for the renovation project will be updated on the school’s website menu under “Expansion Project.” School officials said those who have questions about the bond resolution or wish to schedule a time to see the school during operating hours, should contact Mumm at nmumm@giltnerschool.us or at (402) 849-2238.
In other action at the Monday meeting, the school board members:
* approved a quote from Thomas Built Buses for a freightliner bus in the amount of $138,775;
* approved a three-year contract with Central Nebraska Rehabilitation Services;
* approved the wellness policy triennial assessment;
* approved the Safe to Return plan.