Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Budget Changed: District Saves $8,600 A Year

"I know you're always in need of funds because there are only one or two schools in the state that don't need money," said David W. Smith of Stephens, Inc., Investment Bankers, of Little Rock.

"Non-bonded debt is becoming a dinosaur," he said when presenting a change for the 2000-2001Gurdon School District's proposed budget of expenditures. Smith may have saved the district $8,600 a year.

At the school board meeting Tuesday July 20, Smith explained how the State of Arkansas will pay school districts to be in debt. The state will pay part of a bonded debt held by a school.

Gurdon pays currently $42,172 annually on two revolving loans, but by issuing 10 year bonds in the amount of $310,000 the school will pay off the two revolving loans with an estimated $155,000 left over for the school to possibly use on the building fund.

But the state would then pay 24.4 percent of the debt payment back, an estimated $8,600.00 dollars per year.

"Your not extending or raising mills, we're replacing one form of debt with another," Smith said.

The use of the money in the proposed budget reads:

"The existing 23.1 debt service mills will also be pledged to the retirement of proposed bonds to be issued in the principal amount of $310,000 and which will mature over a period of 10 years and will be issued for the purpose of refunding two revolving loans and erecting and equipping new school facilities and making additions and improvements to existing facilities. The surplus revenues produced each year by debt service millage may be used by the District for other school purposes."

The board is require to have voter approval for this change. The proposed budget of expenditures will be on the September 21, ballot election. The details are to be published in a Clark County paper before July 23, completely correct.

Showing an ending balance of $358,234.05, the 1998-1999 year end report covering teacher salary, operating and debt service was disclosed at the meeting. The projected ending balance was higher by $176,000. The report shows the cost of the raises at $26,000 and the transfer to the building fund of $150,000, which were not budgeted in.

A new drug policy was approved by the board. With Billy Tarpley's suggestion of slight rewording on one sentence, the new random drug testing for students in extracurricular activities was made official. Unanimously voted for, the policy will allow randomly selected students in extracurricular activities to be tested for drug or alcohol consumption.

Parents not wishing for their child to be tested can with hold their child from testing, but the student is banned from after-school activities.

Information on testing policy details may soon appear in this paper, as board member, Jim Otwell suggested, "What about putting a copy in the paper to let them know what we're doing." Publishing the information could help prevent parents from complaining about lack of warning.

Athletic Director, Coach John Pace asserted, "I've already told them (football players),...I can make it part of the consent form."

Leonard Gills, high school principal, explained to the board the school can suspend a student whose tested positively for 10 days without a hearing.

The GSB accepted three resignations on July 20. Mary Ann Stone, Sara Beth Hays and Kelly House submitted their resignations which were all accepted. House had requested to be put on full-time, but was denied by the board during executive session.

The board hired several new faces for the 1999-2000 school year. Charlotte McMaster is the new Spanish class monitor. Carolyn McClure will be the primary special education teacher. New primary teacher, Rusty Manning was also hired, along with two food service supervisors, Wilma Davies, primary, and Vicki Jennings, high school food supervisor.

The board discussed problems with the new roof on the primary school. Bobby Smithson, superintendent, commented "It's just unfortunate that we're in this shape." The architect, Wayne J. Trull, of Trull-Hollensworth in Magnolia is 'dragging' according to Smithson, he had been trying to get in touch with Trull for a couple of weeks.

Smithson reminded the board Trull said the bidding would be ready to open by the middle of July for the project.

Renovations to the primary school so far have been to spray the rougher walls with texture, classroom doors and the pouring of the new slab.

The primary may have the classrooms and administrative offices finished by time school starts. But Smithson seemed worried when he said "We need to know what this phase is costing us,... we've had as many as 50 people working over there, that makes me nervous."

Board member, Stan Escelante asked about the leaks in the roof of the kindergarten building.

"We're definitely going to have to do some patching,... that's just throwing the money away, he should have been ready to bid that roof out," said Smithson.

When asked about the roof being put on during school Smithson related, "We're going to have for the kids,... I don't think it will cause a danger to anybody."

Bleachers for the football field are holding up construction. After announcing the press box had arrived, Smithson expressed his displeasure with Southern Bleachers, Co. out of Texas. R.J. Love, Arkansas representative for the company reported to Smithson the company had taken on a race track and bumped everyone else back.

The press box can only be raised once the steel supports for the bleachers are in place. When discussing the supports Smithson said, "They have promised me they'll be here by next week."

At Tuesday's meeting, a motion was made to accept the lesser of two bid offers on two new 65 passenger buses. The district will be purchasing two buses for $47,172.00 from Merl's Bus Sales.

"We haven't bought a new bus in two years,... we can make it with out buying one, but we need to maintain our fleet even though it won't be here until Christmas," Smithson said.

"Some kids don't have insurance at all and it's a big help," imparted Smithson as the board discussed the student insurance. A motion was made to accept the lowest of two bids. Low bidders, UICI Student Insurance offered a bid of $4,950.

Food service bidding produced no bids for the schools. Without another offer the school is forced to continue with the current suppliers, Coleman Dairy and Wonder Bread for milk and bread supplies.