Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Guest Column

Once in a great while a rare opportunity comes along. Such is the case for the Prescott School District. This opportunity has occurred, because the district is about to retire old bonded indebtedness and the state legislature has enacted laws that will pay for approximately 40% of the school's renovations and construction.

Early in my tenure at Prescott, several areas of concern were identified with our facilities. Some were very serious and needed immediate attention. Others were placed on a proposed project list and prioritized. These projects are located at all three campuses at a combined cost of around $1 million. Roof, heating and cooling systems, covered walkways, poor lighting, and buildings in very poor condition top the list.

The Prescott Board of Education began meeting at least twice a month in the fall of 1998 to consider means of meeting the district's needs. The Board has conferred with contractors, architects, lighting specialists, engineers and financial advisors. Plans were considered to renovate, remodel or build. By the spring of 1999, three options were developed and presented at a public meeting on May 11, 1999. In addition, the board and I asked for public input on these options as well as other ideas. The options ranged from keeping our current millage to seeking additional mills. In both the public meeting and in calls and comments from the community, the vast majority of patrons expressed the desire to first bring our three educational facilities up to standard and to construct a new science lab and gym/field house facility at the high school. Additional ideas about feeding the high school students in the lobby of the new gym were generated by the public. This will allow us to discontinue mixing elementary and high school students in the elementary cafeteria. Also high school students will not have to cross a city street in inclement weather to get a hot meal.

According to Kent Douglas of the Arkansas Department of Education, the law providing for the 40% state contribution could likely change in the next session. However, if Prescott is already taking advantage of the contribution prior to a change, we would receive these benefits for the life of our indebtedness. In addition, because our district is about to retire old bond issues, we can do all that is being proposed for only three additional mills. Prescott has not only the lowest millage rate in the county, but also the lowest in our entire area. The three additional mills would bring us up to the state average and to standards needed to provide Blue Ribbon Schools for Blue Ribbon Students.'