Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Voters approve auditorium bonds

The way has been cleared for the Gurdon School District to build a new auditorium after the districts voters approved a measure Tuesday to fund the project.

The districts patrons voted 75 to 14 in a special school election to allow district officials to restructure the schools debt. The restructuring process includes selling new bonds to pay off the districts current debt. After the debts are paid there will be enough money left over to fund the schools portion of the $2 million auditorium. The effort does not raise the district's tax rate, but rather it will push back the date which the district will become debt free.

The state of Arkansas will be paying 48 percent of the buildings cost. Gurdon Superintendent Bobby Smithson said the legislature has approved about $400 million to help with school facilities over the next two years, and it is uncertain as to whether state aid will be available after that point.

"We would have been foolish not to take advantage of it," he said.

Attempts have been made over the last year to raise funds privately, but those efforts have not raised near the amount needed to date.

"This was really the only viable way (to finance the project) we had right now," Smithson said.

Anita Cabe, who has been heading up the private fund raising effort, has said she will continue her efforts in an effort to keep the district in as little debt as possible.

The school has been in need of the new facility for some time, Smithson said. The proposals for the building include a seating capacity of 1,200, an alumni room which will house class pictures and other memorabilia, and an administrative suite for the superintendent and his staff.

Smithson expects the auditorium to be used for numerous school and community activities including band and choir concerts, the Gurdon Forest Festival pageant, school assemblies and graduation. He also said the facility would be available for community use on an "as needed" basis.

Smithson expects the district's architect to have the plans ready for the building in about three months. After the plans are ready, the district will take bids on the project. Smithson said he has been told it will take about one year to complete the project once ground is broken. The district hopes to get construction underway in the fall.

This is not the only construction project the district has taken on recently. An addition to Gurdon Primary School is currently being completed. The four room addition cost the district about $400,000.