The election to consider at $10.5 million bond issue for the Newton Municipal School District. is still on for May 23 at the Newton High School Gymnasium.
Board of Trustees President Jhaddaka Leverette opened the floor during a special called meeting, which was attended by an overflow crowd of parents, staff and community members, to entertain motions on the bond issue. Board member Arthur Nelson made a motion to rescind the May 23 election date and possibly consider a September election date.
After nearly a minute of silence, Leverette declared that the motion died for a lack of a second.
She also allowed any other board member a chance to make a motion, but no other motions were made. The board members then moved to adjourn the special called meeting.
The proposed bond issue to renovate Newton Elementary School and the high school gymnasium will be decided by voters on Tuesday, May 23, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Newton High School Gymnasium.
Newton City Hall will be open the next two Saturdays, May 13 and 20, from 8 a.m. to noon to allow voters apply for absentee ballots for those who have an approved reason provided by the Secretary of State’s office. Absentee ballots can also be requested during normal business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.
When the bond issue was proposed to be $11 million, the school district projected that bond issue debt payments would cause a 15-mill tax increase. However, the exact millage would not be determined until the bonds are sold and the interest rates are locked in.
The district would then submit its budgetary request by no later than Aug. 15 according to state law. That deadline is one of the reasons why this second election is being held so that they can make the request for additional funding in time for next year’s property tax assessments.
If the bond fails, school board members have not disclosed how they would proceed, but Mayor Antonio Hoye and others have suggested funding a renovation of the gymnasium through either a FEMA mitigation grant application and requesting a sales tax on prepared foods and beverages in a joint venture with the city and school district. However, those plans have not been developed and would not be ready in time for next year’s budgetary requests.
In a related matter, the school board also revised its staff protection policy (GAEA) with regards to increased number of complaints Superintendent Dr. Glenda Nickson has received from staff and students about visitors to the campus issuing threats of abuse, intimidation and harassing communications.
Nickson said the policy revisions allow staff members to ask any visitors violating the policy to stop or they will be asked to leave school property. If they do not leave when requested, Nickson said the violators would be escorted out by either the school district’s police force or other law enforcement agencies and could face arrests.
The policy revision was passed unanimously.
Here is the language that was added to the policy:
"The Newton Municipal School District does not tolerate any form of intimidation, coercion, abuse, or harassment of any student, employee, or visitor. Any person found to be violating this policy will be asked to vacate the district. Refusal to comply with said request will result in physical removal or possible arrest by the Newton Municipal School District Campus Police Department or a local law enforcement agency."
