September 21 millage increase vote

George Foshee, Jessieville School Superintendent.

Jessieville School Superintendent George Foshee has been making the rounds to as many service organization meetings as he can. This is his final year before retiring and he is determined to leave a brighter future for the students in his care.

Recently Foshee spoke to the Rotary Club of Scenic 7 and the Rotary Club of Hot Springs Village. He told the Rotarians about the badly needed influx of money to update and expand the Jessieville schools.

The funds will be used to build a fine arts center, a safe room, to renovate the gym and to expand and relocate the sewer plant.

Foshee eloquently spoke of the need for more classrooms which the above building and renovation would supply.

Foshee said now was the time for the millage increase because of unusual opportunities made available at this time, a no interest bond and FEMA funds to pay for 75-percent of the safe room.

The safe room will be a building providing additional classrooms and providing a place for students, staff and the surrounding community to wait out bad weather or safely stay in during an actual tornado, hurricane or other catastrophe. According to FEMA to be truly safe such rooms must be constructed following FEMA's specifications and standards and must be easily accessible at all times.

The fine arts center will also expand the number of classrooms and provide a much needed performance stage for the schools. A fine arts center is a multipurpose building providing classrooms and an auditorium for the rapidly growing drama, choral and band programs at Jessieville. It will also be used to hold school wide assemblies and various programs as well as provide more parking on the school campus.

The sewer plant was built in 1974 for 300 students, there are now over 900 students. The system is often stressed and is also now too close to the student population. The plant has outgrown its capacity. It requires frequent maintenance to keep it functioning properly. The plant needs to be relocated, it is currently located in the middle of campus near the elementary playground area. The schools have grown up around it and now it needs to be moved.

Glazener gym is overcrowded and needs renovation. There are also paving projects included in the upgrade. The field house will be expanded and renovated.

The 950 children currently attending the schools are overtaxing the dated facilities. There is a real need for expansion of the computer facilities.

Foshee wants the students in the Jessieville School District to receive the best possible education under the best possible circumstances.

Jessieville has been unable to give its teachers a raise the last several years and the funds will help the school district compete with other school districts in the area. the funds will help the district provide the best quality education available for students at Jessieville schools.

Cutter Morning Star and Lakeside are also asking for millage increases on September 21. A 4.7 mill increase is requested making the millage rate 38.7.

The mills would be used to purchase $5 million interest free bonds for 17 years. These bonds are only available to January 1, 2011.

The interest free bond will save at least $5 million in interest. FEMA will provide an additional $800,000 for the construction of a safe room.

The preliminary budget is as follows: fine arts center $2,250,000, safe room $1,100,000, senior and junior high football renovated and expanded $650,000, relocate and expand sewer plant $390,000, Glazener Gym ADA compliance and renovation $250,000, band building with computer technology lab and classrooms $175,000, asphalt paving $110,000 and campus renovations $100,000.

The increase of 4.7 mills will reflect as an increase of 13-percent in taxes. For every $100 paid tax payers would pay an additional $13.

Garland County voters in the Village will vote at Barcelona Baptist Church, impacted Saline County Village residents will vote at Kirk in the Pines Presbyterian. The Jessieville School District is over 200 miles serving Garland County and some of Saline County.