Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School Board Ponders Millage Hike

Gurdon residents will soon be asked to pass a millage increase to build a new middle school.

Bobby Smithson, superintendent of the Gurdon School District, told the Gurdon School Board, at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, April 16, he had met with parents and they are ready to "do what needs to be done" to build a new middle school. A new GMS would be on the same property as the new Gurdon High School on Highway 67.

Smithson said the district can build a new school for an additional two mills if the district borrows from the revolving loan program and is a good steward of the monies.

He voiced opposition to trying to get the citizenry to pass four mills for the project. "We can do it for two mills, rock bottom.

"I can't see any parent not willing to give to have a facility like this (the new GHS)," he told the board. "Any parent of a child at Gurdon Primary School or GMS, if they tour the old and new facilities, will be sold, and we need their support."

According to Smithson, several different functions were held to help get a new GHS built. He said similar events could be held for a new middle school.

The board must declare its intentions by July so the measure can be placed on the September school election ballot.

The board was told a new GMS could be built for less than the $1.4 million GHS was constructed for. Smithson said this goal can be accomplished if the district does a lot of the work itself.

The board decided to purchase a new sign for GHS from Whatley Sign Co. of Texarkana. The sign will stand 20-feet tall and cost the district $6,550. This price includes freight and installation.

Two other sign companies submitted bids, but both were considerably more expensive and neither included installation.

Signs Plus had a bid of $10,373, which included $973 for freight, while J.M. Stewart submitted a bid for $9,000, that did not include freight or installation.

Smithson told the board the two banks in Gurdon may make contributions toward the purchase of the sign, and an individual (who wishes to remain anonymous at this time) has come forward and told Smithson they would pick up the balance, if any.

It will take a while longer for the district to get its new bus as the board agreed to resubmit bids after rejecting the initial bid.

Smithson told the panel Vernon White lowered the bid on a Bluebird but, but two other bids had been received from Amtran. One of these was for a rear engine vehicle, while the other was a more standard front engine type.

The board was informed the request is in for the next cycle of funding.

However, Steve Ward, with White, included storage in his base bid on the Bluebird bus, while Amtran did not.

Phase II of construction on the gymnasium is almost done. Smithson said the maple floor is in place, but it won't be sanded, lined and sealed until the district completes all of its painting.

In addition, ceramic and vinyl tiles need to be laid in the gym's halls and offices, while the dressing rooms still must be painted.

Four bids were submitted for bleachers and goals for the new gym. Specialty Supply, handling Hussey brand, turned in the low bid across the board. However, all bids were for a minimum of 1,200 seats, the least number of seats allowed for a district to bid on the district tournament.

For wood automatic bleachers, the bid was $76,987, while manual wood bleachers would cost the district $65,931. Automatic plastic bleachers would be $81,283, while their manual counterparts would run the school $70,227.

The other companies bidding included Thompson Supply, handling Interkal; Interstate, with Folding Bleacher; and Love Company, touting Sheridan bleachers. Their bids were considerably higher than Specialty Supply's.

Members of the board will now visit schools which have the Hussey bleachers and base their decision on what they see. Southern Arkansas University of Magnolia has the plastic bleachers, while the Alexander Youth Center also has Hussey bleachers.

However, Specialty Supply was the high bidder on basketball goals and backboards with a bid of $7,728.25.

Interstate Supply was the low bidder at $3,699. Smithson recommended the board go with the Interstate bid for goals.

The district received some very good news from the Cabe Foundation. Smithson said the foundation awarded a grant for $30,000 to fund a satellite classroom at GHS.

This will be similar to the satellite classes offered at Arkadelphia and Malvern high schools in conjunction with Henderson State University.

Smithson said this will allow the district to offer classes not currently taught. A teacher's aide will monitor the class when it's in session.

In addition, he said Gurdon's instructors could do satellite teaching as well.

Amanda Calley informed the board of the Close Up Program's recent trip to Washington, D.C.

She told the group the students attended seminars on a variety of topics, visited the Capitol Reflecting Pool (made famous by the movie "Forest Gump") and met with Sen. David Pryor.

The students also visited the Holocaust Museum, the Syrian Embassy, the Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian, Ford Theatre and the National Theater.

Gurdon students were also presented with a participation award for their efforts.

The board also approved the 1996-97 calendar, which is similar to the current school calendar.

It includes 178 teaching days, and a mid-winter break.