The school board agreed to put a funding initiative of some kind on the ballot in November instead of in April. The board decided to engage the community and district staff before coming up with a formal funding mechanism. They have made a decision yet on what form that funding would take.
They could float a bond issue or try for a so-called Proposition C rollback, which would exempt the district from laws that reduced tax levies across Missouri. If a Prop-C rollback were approved by voters, the district’s tax levy would increase by 52 cents.
Superintendent Dr. Robert Newhart said the district could propose a “Prop C Plus,” a combination of more than one funding idea.
Board member Dr. Bryan Green told the board that a community-engagement campaign would be essential to the process, making the November ballot issue more appropriate.
“I think the reason that we don’t feel comfortable moving toward April is that we’ve not had sufficient time for that process,” Green said. “I think this allows for it, if we’re effective in doing it.”
Board member Lori Prussman said the district is running out of time, and insisted that the community engagement campaign ramp up quickly. Prussman pointed out that it will take a month or two to form a group to engage the community and district staff.
“You don’t do community engagement through the summer,” Prussman said, “because everybody’s on vacation, people aren’t going to show up. We learned that the first time around.”
“Then you’re back to August, and that’s when we have to decide. So, to do this right, and to be successful, we need to start immediately,” she said.
Board President Martin Rucker stressed the need for the board to commit to working together to try and make it happen, despite possible opposition by individual board members.
“There may be someone who just doesn’t agree with part of what we’re doing, or any of what we’re trying to do,” Rucker said, “but as a board we have to come together, when a decision is made, what we’re going to do, the seven us will work together to make it happen, regardless of whether or not you voted for it.”
The resolution passed unanimously.