PANEL ADVICE: LAY OUT SCHOOL DETAILS

Lay out all the details, including the price tag, for a proposed master plan for Cape Girardeau public schools, the Vision Planning Committee advised the Cape Girardeau Board of Education Thursday.

Two members of the eight-member group met with the school board to take a look at the proposal. Other members, who were unable to attend the meeting are expected at Monday's board meeting.

The master plan, which has been previewed at several meetings, will be unveiled officially at Monday's meeting.

Jim Maurer, a member of the Vision Planning Committee, said the committee heard two basic messages during its listening meetings last fall. "One was the educational side, and those messages were very varied. Everyone has different ideas," he said.

"The other was the money-bond issue-trust side. I guess I'm questioning the way this is going to be presented to make sure everything is laid out."

Maurer thinks the community has regained some trust in the school district over the past year. "But we want to know," he said. "We don't want to trust you."

Board members and Superintendent Dan Tallent said they plan to lay out the whole plan, in detail, starting Monday.

Basically, the plan calls for a 69-cent tax increase to fund new educational programs and new construction.

The project is organized in phases. The first phase calls for construction of a new vocational school, a new elementary school and renovations at Alma Schrader, Clippard, Franklin and Jefferson. The second phase calls for construction of a new high school and renovations to the junior high and high school.

Eventually May Greene, Washington and Louis J. Schultz schools would be closed.

Initially, voters will be asked to approve sale of $14 million in bonds. A 30-cent tax increase would pay back those bonds. Voters also will be asked to approve a 39-cent tax increase by waiving the Proposition C tax rate rollback.

In 2001, voters will be asked to approve sale of another $14 million in bonds. The second $14 million in bonds wouldn't require an additional tax increase. Payments would be tacked on to the end of the original bond proposal.

The plan has 14 major goals to improve educational programs, including lots of new technology. "To make those programs a reality, there's a need to improve our facilities," Tallent said.

The plan also spells out exactly what projects would take place at each building.

Bob Foster, who also served on the Vision Planning Committee, said the plan appears to follow closely the recommendations he heard from the public. The challenge will be letting people know what is in the plan, he said.

"You have to find a way to get people interested enough to learn about it."

Board of Education President Bob Fox said, "We will be as open and positive as we can. We want to prove to people that we're being good stewards of their money.