Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Prescott School Board Discussed 3-Mill Increase

A resolution supporting the city's attempt to get a medium security prison project was passed by the Prescott School Board Tuesday, July 20.

Prescott Superintendent Ron Wright told the board a letter was also written to the Arkansas Department of Corrections showing support for the facility locating here.

"It would be a shot in the arm for us," Wright told the board, "by bringing jobs in.'

Board member Jim Franks, said there has been no organized opposition to the project as far as he's heard, though there are some individuals who don't want a prison to locate in Prescott.

However, he agreed with Wright about it being a shot in the arm economically.

The resolution, passes unanimously by the board, simply states the Prescott Board of Education believes this facility would benefit the school and community and extended an offer to provide staff development and instructional activities as needed for facility personnel.

The board also heard from Mickey Roberts, with Raney & Beardsley, Inc., the district's bonding agency.

Roberts said the firm has looked into the 25-year bond issue and learned other districts are doing the same thing to take advantage of a good bond rate.

He informed the panel the district could pay off the bond early after five years has elapsed, but this may not be the best thing financially.

To pay off the bond issue early, he said, the bond trustee must be notified 30 days in advance, and the bonds must be paid off in inverse order (from the last payment to the first).

However, Roberts said, paying the bonds off early could affect the district's second-lien bond capability, as it is based on the time remaining on outstanding bond issues.

Second-lien bonds, he continued, do still exist, as they haven't been completely done away with. With a bond issue, after a district pays on the original one, it can borrow from second-lien bonds if the need arises.

Roberts also gave the board an outline for trying to get a 3-mill tax increase passed for the Sept. 21 school election.

He recommended the district first form a steering committee and a telephone committee. The phone group would use the same script to cut down on confusion to those called.

It was suggested to try and get civic groups and churches involved in the campaign as well to let everyone in Prescott know what is being done and how they will be affected by the millage.

Additionally, Roberts suggested making transportation available for those who can't get to the polls and vote.

Wright said two more public meetings may be needed before the election. However, after more debate, the board agreed one meeting may be all necessary and set it for Tuesday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m.

This date was picked so the meeting would still be fresh on the public's mind by the time election arrived.

Prior to the September meeting, committees will meet Monday, Aug. 9, at 6 p.m., at the home economics cottage to help prepare strategy for the campaign.

Franks said the August meeting needs to have a cross section of the population on hand to get more input and ideas.

In other business, Wright said the amount paid per student by the state has been increased to about $4,300 per head.

Should the numbers remain where they are, he said, the district will be in good shape after next year when the funding formula actually goes into effect and the new salary schedule becomes mandatory.

This is an increase of about $200 per student, he said.

Interstate Bread and Borden milk were given contracts for milk and bread for the district for 1999-2000.

Borden was the second lowest bid, but the board selected the company because of its service.

The panel also took time to examine models of proposed construction to the school grounds. Architects David French and Rico Harris brought the model to show what the campus would look like after construction.

The lobby in the proposed new gym could also be used to serve lunch to senior high students.

This would keep senior high students from having to cross the road and go to Prescott Primary School for lunch. It would also cut down on interaction between high school and elementary students.

The gym, Harris said, would be built along the lines of the Centerpoint facility with a sunken floor and raised seating.

Locker rooms would be underneath the bleachers.

The gym floor would be in the same direction as the football field and have seating for approximately 1,200 fans. This will keep fans from being right on top of the court during games.

With the increased seating capacity, the district can bid on regional tournaments.

The facility would be a total of 31,250 square feet, and would house a field house and weight room for football players.

Wright said representatives from the Department of Labor visited the district after a complaint was lodged concerning the condition of the bleachers at the football stadium.

According to the complaint, boards were loose or not in place, but, Wright told the board, the representative from the Department of Labor found no problems with the facility.

The district received written verification as to there being no problem with the bleachers.

It was a busy week for the board as a special meeting was called Thursday, July 22, to discuss personnel issues.

The board accepted the resignation of Billy Rook as assistant football coach, hiring Mark Kehner to replace him. Kehner will also teach biology in addition to his coaching duties.

Rook accepted a similar position with the Hope School District.

The hiring of Tonya Pennington and Cleveland Gordon was rescinded by the board as both have taken positions with other districts.

Resignations for Shelia Jennings, Tonia McMillan and Carolyn McClure were also accepted.

The board hired Jannette Silliman as a kindergarten teacher, Billy Morris as a bus driver, George Glass as part-time custodian, William Souter for technical coordinator and Roger Sharp as Prescott Middle School special ed teacher.

David Bennett, head coach of the Curley Wolves, was reassigned and given the duties of athletic director as well as remaining head coach.