Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon district should end year well financially

Gurdon's School Board met in regular session on Tuesday, Dec. 21, and heard a financial report from the superintendent with an estimated $570,125 ending balance.

Superintendent Bobby Smithson said the accounts payable for November were $82,814.34. He said spending money was going to slow down in the near future.

"We have completed several projects, such as our baseball field," he said. "I think we will be all right, but we will have to watch our spending a little. One thing different this year is we received a $5,733.93 from Arkansas Game and Fish. I think we can use that for hunter education."

By way of improvements, Smithson also mentioned the primary school has gotten some new playground equipment, yet to be installed. He reported the parking lot on the high school/middle school campus cost of paving last month as $8,175.92 and said, "Jett Asphalt and Rock did an excellent job."

Under old business, Smithson updated the board on the second Pre-K classroom. He said the second Pre-K now has 19 students, which is the maximum allowed.

"We will not be able to enroll additional students for the current year unless students move," he said. "We need to be planning for next year. It is my feeling we will have a need for three classes of Pre-K."

Smithson said the Pre-K program has not been funded for 2005-2006. However, he said it was a priority during the last session of the legislature, "and I believe it will be funded when they convene in January."

The level of funding remains to be seen. This year's funding was $4,300 per eligible child, with the option of school districts charging. Smithson did not charge this first year and said he wants to continue that policy.

"As a school district, I see it as our job to provide service," he said.

Smithson presented information to the Board as to the procedure to borrow the money for two new classrooms and bathrooms through Stephens Inc. in Little Rock. The figures are based on $250,000 in bond issue, with an estimated 2020 maturity date. It would mean a $24,250 annual payment for the school district.

"We have other options to consider," he said. "But if we do go ahead with two new classroom, if approved, we would have to budget for the payment. We have borrowed before. If push comes to shove, we could again."

As to other options, Smithson said there has been a loss of students entering kindergarten "so I believe we will be reducing from four sections to three next year. That would allow a classroom for our projected third section of Pre-K."

Smithson said if the board chooses to build and go with the bond issue, there is a timetable to meet. He mentioned filing in February and advertising in a newspaper.

"This is usually a rubber stamp deal, as long as they know you can make the payments from your budget," he said.

Smithson gave a report on the completion of the baseball field project. He said all that was lacked was sealing the outside block. He said the seats are up, the lights and so forth.

He offered the following cost breakdown: block work, $16,000; concrete, $16,200; electrical (lights for the field etc.), $72,000; press box, $4,194; architect, $1,472; fence, $4,290; and seats, $9,048. The total expense was $123,204.

Smithson said the lowest bid from a general contractor was $178,778 plus the $4,290 cost of the schedule 40 (thick) fencing. He said the fencing was about $10 a foot, but the type needed for a school.

"We saved ourselves approximately $50,000 by using our own labor," he said. "Our baseball staff will be bidding for a regional tournament, and maybe even a state. If we host a state tournament, our team automatically qualifies to participate."

Smithson said he applied for Cabe grants to help with pending projects and should know something by February.

"I have had really good luck with Cabe grants in the past, but sometimes not," he said. "There is a Louis Cabe grant for $5,000 and Horace Cabe grant that usually runs more. If we get $40,000, I want an electronic sign for the Cabe Middle School. Our high school sign is outdated, but that is what they were going with at the time. We need something electronic at the middle school to announce things."

Smithson said the lights on the softball field are up. He said the new lighting should help the parents who have work conflicts, preventing them from attending daytime softball games.

Smithson gave a report of the facility needs. He said funding for school facility needs will be a priority in the next legislative session. According to Smithson, an $80 million expenditure goal is being considered for the 2005-2006 school year.

He said Gurdon High School is structurally sound and not on the list to need more space. But Cabe Middle School is on the list for expansion. That estimate for expansion is $32,570.

The primary school expansion estimate is $977,000, which is based on 900 square feet per child.

Smithson said the two areas the legislature is concerned with facility help in are: those in fast growing Northwest Arkansas, and those with unstable structures in their facilities.

"We can't look for too much help in the near future for our expansion needs because of the priorities," Smithson said. "But the goals are for over the next four years."

Board member Billy Tarpley complimented Smithson for such a good job in building the high school that it was not added to the list of facilities with structural problems.

As to Gurdon funding these needs, he said the local high school has lost about 100 students in 10 years. At around $5,300 per student in funding, this means more than $500,000 less to pay the same staff. In fact, the superintendent said even more aides have been hired.

Smithson said Gurdon lost 20 students this semester, but may pick them up again in the semester about to begin.

In other business, the School Board voted to establish a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program (JROTC) program at the high school, assuming the interest level is there.

Smithson said JROTC approached the school. He said the mission of the organization is to make participating young people better citizens, not to recruit for the armed forces.

"I will invite them to establish the program since you approve," Smithson said.

The district received a letter from Tommie L. Campbell, the senior Army instructor of the JROTC program at El Dorado. He said the average Grade Point Average of a cadet is nearly a full point higher and ill discipline is considerably lower than the average student population.

The estimated cost for a district to establish JROTC is $60,000. Campbell said there are more than 200 programs on the waiting list, but the United States Cadet Command in Ft. Monroe, Virginia, is clearing the list this year and funding programs.

Moreover, Smithson gave a status report on Board member elect Ed Reece. He said Reece was elected for a four-year-term in September 2004, but is unable to serve due to his work schedule. Smithson said board members will need to appoint someone from zone 12 to serve for approximately one year, until the next Board election in September 2005.