Cassville Schools’ $4.1M bond passes for renovations, Early Childhood Center
April 3, 2019
Charlea Estes-Jones
Cassville School District voters showed up with overwhelming support for a $4.1 million bond issue that will enable the school to make huge improvements to aging buildings and their early childhood development program. In the April 2 General Municipal Election, voters supported Cassville's Vision 150 no-tax increase bond with 74.71 percent of the voters in favor of the issue and only 25.29 percent against. Cassville needed at least a 57 percent majority for the issue to pass.
Cassville R-IV Schools Superintendent Dr. Richard Asbill thanked voters for their support and expressed how much it means to students to have this bond issue approved. He said, "We really appreciate their support. It's always nice to be reaffirmed that the school is moving in the right direction with the projects we've asked them to support. It's a very good sign that our parents, grandparents and community are supportive of our work that our teachers and board have put forward."
Of the voters who turned out on Tuesday, April 2, the positive response to the measure showed the community's support. Of the 862 ballots cast, 644 were in favor and only 218 were opposed.
The school had a significant educational campaign to educate the public on the needs of the school that would be met with the improvements using the bond money. Dr. Asbill said, "We need to be very informative and transparent to people and say, 'this is what we're asking for and this is what it'll produce, and then people have to answer questions and make their own decision. But I do believe our teachers' efforts to put out good information to all of our parents was very, very helpful."
Projects that will be included in the Project 150 bond issue include classroom renovations in the first and second grade rooms, an Early Childhood Center construction as well as classroom improvements in the middle school.
Dr. Asbill said, "Ground breaking should be in June or July. We'll probably actually have some demo work in June in the first and second grade classrooms with the cabinet remodel. That should occur as early as school gets out." That project Asbill believes will be complete by August 1.
Cassville already has a company hired to help them sell their bonds so they can move forward quickly with renovations. Asbill said, "LJ Hart and Company has already given us a proposed timeline. There's a 30 day window and we'll approve everything in April and be ready to sell bonds by the May board meeting."
Charlea Estes-Jones
Cassville School District voters showed up with overwhelming support for a $4.1 million bond issue that will enable the school to make huge improvements to aging buildings and their early childhood development program. In the April 2 General Municipal Election, voters supported Cassville's Vision 150 no-tax increase bond with 74.71 percent of the voters in favor of the issue and only 25.29 percent against. Cassville needed at least a 57 percent majority for the issue to pass.
Cassville R-IV Schools Superintendent Dr. Richard Asbill thanked voters for their support and expressed how much it means to students to have this bond issue approved. He said, "We really appreciate their support. It's always nice to be reaffirmed that the school is moving in the right direction with the projects we've asked them to support. It's a very good sign that our parents, grandparents and community are supportive of our work that our teachers and board have put forward."
Of the voters who turned out on Tuesday, April 2, the positive response to the measure showed the community's support. Of the 862 ballots cast, 644 were in favor and only 218 were opposed.
The school had a significant educational campaign to educate the public on the needs of the school that would be met with the improvements using the bond money. Dr. Asbill said, "We need to be very informative and transparent to people and say, 'this is what we're asking for and this is what it'll produce, and then people have to answer questions and make their own decision. But I do believe our teachers' efforts to put out good information to all of our parents was very, very helpful."
Projects that will be included in the Project 150 bond issue include classroom renovations in the first and second grade rooms, an Early Childhood Center construction as well as classroom improvements in the middle school.
Dr. Asbill said, "Ground breaking should be in June or July. We'll probably actually have some demo work in June in the first and second grade classrooms with the cabinet remodel. That should occur as early as school gets out." That project Asbill believes will be complete by August 1.
Cassville already has a company hired to help them sell their bonds so they can move forward quickly with renovations. Asbill said, "LJ Hart and Company has already given us a proposed timeline. There's a 30 day window and we'll approve everything in April and be ready to sell bonds by the May board meeting."