DELTA PROPOSES 53-CENT TAX; SCHOOL BOND ISSUE WOULD RAIXE $1.05 MILLION FOR BUILDINGS

DELTA -- Voters in Delta School district will be asked to approve a $1.05 million bond issue to build a new addition to the high school and make several other improvements.

Superintendent Larry Beshears said the 53-cent tax increase will be on the April ballot.

The plan calls for a $750,000 addition to the Lowell Jones building on the high school campus and demolition of the old high school building.

The addition would include a library, and classrooms for special education, business, home economics and science. A cafeteria and multipurpose area is planned along with offices for the principal, superintendent, health services and secretarial staff.

New equipment for laboratory classes and the cafeteria would be purchased.

Beshears said the roof at the elementary building and at the Lowell Jones building would be repaired or replaced.

"And we would put in heating and air condition at the elementary and would include insulation of walls and window areas."

To pay off the bonds, Beshears said, the district would raise the debt service tax 53 cents to a total of 80 cents.

Currently, the district is levying 27 cents in the fund. Three years ago, the debt service tax was 40 cents. He explained that the debt service tax was lowered because the school district had money in reserves it used toward payment of the debt.

The new bonds would have a 20 year payoff.

In early January, the district canceled classes two days after bricks began toppling off the old high school building.

"That certainly heightened the awareness of school patrons as to needs of the building," Beshears said. "How that will be interpreted as far as a vote, I don't know.

"The old high school building is in need of major renovations in order to bring it up to today's standards," Beshears said. "It is in deteriorating condition."

The oldest part of the building was constructed in 1921; the newer section of the building was built in 1928.

The elementary building, constructed in 1957, is in good shape, Beshears said. But, he added, it needs major repairs to the heating system and the roof.

Last April, Delta voters rejected a 61-cent tax increase that would have funded building improvements.

The district already has an architect's drawings for approximately a 19,900-square-foot addition.

Beshears said school officials will be developing a plan to inform voters about the ballot issue.

"We hope to develop some literature to pass out to people and we plan to meet with the public and get information out," Beshears said. "We hope to have a community movement to get behind the issue."