Lovely County Citizen: Local News: New high school millage hike vote set for Feb. 9 (02/03/10)

Is this the future face of high school education in Eureka Springs? -- Voters will decide on Feb. 9. Graphic provided by Morrison Architecture

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Feb. 9 is the day voters in the Eureka Springs School District will decide whether to build a new high school at Lake Lucerne Road off Greenwood Hollow Road, or bring the present facility up to date. (Ed. note: A correction: bringing the present facility up to date is not one of the options. If the millage passes, a new school will be built behind the middle school off Greenwood Hollow Rd. There are no other options at this time, for this millage vote.)

The district is asking for an increase of 1.98 mills, which would raise the school millage on property taxes to 35.1

In one respect, the district is among the wealthiest in the state, based on the high assessed value of the district and the low number of students. That means the district must pay for 99.5 percent of any new academic facility or upgrade.

While school district patrons have supported building new facilities for grades K through 8, the high school was constructed in 1951, and has undergone updates and additions on six occasions.

As for salaries of teachers, the district ranks from 46th to 78th, out of the state's 245 districts, and for academics and technology, the district ranks 78th out of 245 with a B- overall grade based on 2007-08 SAT-10 results.

The Arkansas Legislature has enacted regulations covering academics, facilities and fiscal guidelines, with consequences if they are not met, that is, being categorized as "distressed." If the guidelines for two of those three areas are not met, the State Board of Education can remove the superintendent and school board immediately, and force consolidation or any other remedy deemed appropriate.

State law does not allow a person's homestead's taxable value to increase more than 5 percent per year, and allows homeowners to use the home as their primary residence to claim a $350 annual deduction on their real estate tax bill. Further, if either owner turns 65, the assessed valuation can be frozen and remain at that level as long as either spouse lives in the home.

$20 million over 30 years

Essentially, the school district is seeking to refinance existing bonds approved in 1998 to build the middle school. The bonds were refinanced twice in 2003 to get a lower interest rate, and were due to be paid off in 2016. There is $2.7 million still owed.

The ballot states the new bonds will be issued for $13,300,000 and will be issued for the combined 9.18 mills of existing debt service and 1.98 mils new debt service for building a new high school and maintenance and operation of existing schools. Payments would be spread out over 30 years.

The interest rate on current bonds is 4 percent, while the new interest rate may be 5 percent. Payment over 30 years is $750,000 per year with principal and interest, making for a total payout over 30 years of about $20 million, according to School District Superintendent Wayne Carr.

The debt could be reduced if, after the election, the school sells the existing high school.

The tax is on real property, such as automobiles, motorcycles, boats, trailers, RVs, livestock and physical items in a business.

The only polling place for the election will be at the Best Western Eureka Inn on the corner of US62 and Hwy. 23N. Early voting is available through Feb. 8 at the Eureka Springs or Berryville courthouses, and absentee voting is also available.

Voting precincts in the school district include: Eureka Springs; Beaver; Johnson Springs; Winona; and Packard Springs, and includes the communities of Beaver, Busch, Holiday Island, Grassy Knob, Inspiration Point, Hillspeak and Hogscald.

In December of 2006, Aurora, Missouri, 50 miles away, completed their new High School. It cost the district approximately 12 million dollars; was 127,000 sq. ft.; supports 580 students with 3 computer labs; a cafeteria that seats 250 students which handles 3 lunch shifts per day.

The layout of the building is nice -- the core classes are on the east side of the building with fine arts in the middle. The cafeteria (commons) serves as the center of the building -- the gymnasium (with chair-back seats on the north end and bleachers on the south) and the business departments, health classroom, FACS (formerly home-ec), two art classrooms (one with a state-of-the-art blackroom), industrial tech (formerly industrial arts) classroom with small lab and a huge shop, vocational agriculture with 2 classrooms, offices, and one HUGE shop with upstairs storage, metal storage room, and another storage room. The offices (principal/assistant principal, nurse, athletic office, counselors) are located in the front of the building with the media center (library) across the hall.

This is a state-of-the-art high school serving 580 high school students and it cost basically the same as the proposed Eureka Springs High School to support 240 students.

Wake up, people. We don't need an 11 million dollar high school for 240 students when probably less than 1/2 that amount would be state-of-the-art with plenty of room to grow for the other 20-40 additional students which might attend over the next decade.

Let's not sign off just yet on something that costs more than twice what it should unless you just want to be stuck with more school taxes in an area where the price of real estate is going down the toilet faster than a cyclonic flush!

-- Posted by Greentea on Wed, Feb 3, 2010, at 10:53 PM

Kim and I met with Wayne Carr today at Fockers. He was gracious enough to come and visit and answer questions. Thanks Wayne.

He had printed out my list of questions and we went over them as you'll see below.

1. Will the HDC allow the old school to be torn down and a new one in its place? Yes or No?

Wayne: Yes, the HDC did approve the school tearing down the present school and rebuilding with facades to go with the historic district.

(Note...that it doesn't really matter because the vote is ONLY regarding building a new school on Lake Lucerne Rd..so this is a moot point)

2. If the vote passes, then millage goes up no matter whether the State approves sending money or the City can afford to do the road work? So in essence, taxes could go higher and a new school won't be built.

I'll let Kim address this one. Lots of conversation about funding etc.

3. Where and what in writing from the City please...has been agreed upon concerning necessary road work from Greenwood Hollow Road down Lake Lucerne Road and up Dawson Rd to 23 S...has anybody seen a confirmation from the City on this?

Wayne: There isn't any confirmation from the City...as there is NO money for roads. It's a hope we can "find" the money for the roads somewhere..maybe a grant. At this point there isn't a concrete plan on where the money for roads will come from.

We also discussed the fact of added traffic on 23 and Wayne stated he has talked to the State about putting in turn lanes on 23, but this would affect the businesses on that corner who would have to voluntarily give up land or it be taken by eminent domain. The businesses that could be affected would be Eureka Plumbing and Supply (who would lose most of the parking lot) or across the street where Country Music Inn is or the Bank of Berryville or all of the above. Of course the State wouldn't commit to anything until they see a need with increased traffic..in other words..after the fact. Wayne did comment on that Lake Lucerne Road would become a dirt trail essentially with all the heavy equipment going in and out. It will destroy the road that is there now.

4. Water, sewer? Is that the City? Again...what is the confirmation for this?

Wayne: There would have to be a lift station at the proposed high school to tie into Eureka's water and sewer lines...and this lift would have to be replaced on a fairly regular basis.

(Note: There have already been numerous problems with the current lift station at the Middle School.)

5. What is the State's opinion on the historic bridges on Lake Lucerne Road with this increased traffic? Anybody have a report?

Wayne: Again, the State will not look at roads until after the fact.

Note: Nobody seems to have talked to the agency that is involved with the historic bridges...only the road dept. And the bridges are within City property not State....maybe Glenna Booth may have an answer to this? He did agree that is could be an extra 100 cars per drive time to and from the school. That doesn't count other times for games, etc and visiting teams.

6. Is there a sunset clause on the millage?

Wayne: Yes, it's for 30 years...and at that point we may need to go back to the voters and ask for another one as the elementary school with be old and in need of repair or replacement.

So...the bottom line for me is this is yet another vote where the public at large is being asked to vote a tax increase and there are many, many questions that still linger. Traffic will be a nightmare, the school board doesn't seem to have many of "hard costs" nailed down. If this passes it is for a set amount and that may not be enough over a two year period to cover all the costs...so you'll end up with a school lesser than is being presented.

I thanked Wayne for his time and I did let him know that I would do everything I could to discourage this from passing. Nothing personal against Wayne..he is a really nice man..and he's the front guy.

This seems to be lining up for another episode of "gee, I didn't know THAT is what I voted for."

This vote is only for a school on Lake Lucerne..not for a new high school where it is now or a remodel of the school where it now.

I urge people to inform themselves on this issue. Feel free to print or email this post to those who may not read Geekfest.

http://www.geekfest.com/showthread.php?t...