Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

District Needs Millage

Gurdon's School District began a plan of construction in 1994.

In order to complete the overall plans, the district is now seeking a 3 mill increase on property tax during the Sept. 15, school election.

The idea is to spend about $800,000 to renovate the Gurdon Primary School. These renovations include replacing the existing 47-year-old roof with a new one, putting new ceilings in all the classrooms, installing new carpet throughout the school, purchasing new furniture for classrooms, installing new plumbing fixtures, having new doors hung, adding new lighting and possibly enclosing the walkways to the classes as well as getting the interior walls painted.

However, this isn't all the millage increase would fund. A new physical education building would be constructed near the Cabe Middle School for students. Currently middle and high school students are sharing the Gurdon High School gymnasium for PE classes.

Such a building would run about $200,000 for the middle school.

The millage would also pay for the construction of a multi-purpose athletic stadium and field house. This would include a new football field and for the first time in Gurdon history a new track.

This isn't all either. Two more rooms would be added to the Cabe Middle School. These rooms were discussed during planning stages for the new facility, but the district didn't have the funding to have them built on at the time.

The addition of these rooms would be $50,000.

The millage increase would also allow the district to expand girls' athletics and add new computer and technology upgrades while putting more staff on as needed.

"We've worked hard (on this millage)," said Bobby Smithson, Gurdon superintendent. "I'm more optimistic than I was.

"But we'll need the support from primary school parents and football fans. It will still be close. We need to finish the job."

Opponents to the millage increase cite having to pay more in property taxes if it passes. But, on property valued at $100,000 and assessed at $20,000, this will mean an increase of $60 per year or $5 a month.

While most residents in Gurdon don't own property at this value, for those with land valued at $50,000 and assessed at $10,000, the increase would be $30 annually, or $2.50 a month.

Gurdon residents have been talking about a new football stadium for years. It has been one of the most requested projects from the people since the new high school was completed in 1996.

The district had originally planned to issue $250,000 in post dated warrants and earmark $100,000 from the school's operating funds for the project. The balance would be paid for with grants the district hoped to obtain.

However, the district lost 40 students during the 1997-98 school year, which reduced the state funding by about $160,000.

This would cause the district to have problems in repaying the warrants and being able to use money from the operating fund..

If the millage issue passes, the district plans to build a new stadium and field house, install metal bleachers for the fans on both sides, put in new lighting for the gridiron and parking lot, have a track constructed around the football field and build new concession stands.

All this would make going to Go-Devil football games much more pleasant for the fans.

In recent years, the district has been going to the Horace and Louis Cabe Foundations for grants for improvements.

The Horace Cabe Foundation has given a total of $710,000 in grants. This includes money for the new Cabe Middle School, a PE building for GPS, cafeteria tables for the primary school, construction of the Cabe Student Center, and money for science equipment and a satellite program.

Grants from the Louis Cabe Foundation have been used to purchase furniture for the teacher's lounge, to help the Go-Devil Marching Band, assist the football team along with the music and choral programs. The foundation has also awarded technology grants and helped with programs at GPS.

With all the help these foundations have given the district, the people of Gurdon are asked to support the millage issue to show their support for the school and the area's children.