Supporters of bond issue for Cape schools begin campaign

Proponents of a $20 million bond proposal for the Cape Girardeau School District hosted a kickoff event for the Yes Cape Schools campaign Saturday to answer questions and provide more information to voters before the April 7 election.

District officials also presented the details of the proposal Friday morning at the chamber of commerce's monthly First Friday Coffee.

In January, the school board approved placing the measure -- Proposition 1 -- on the April ballot. The proposal would help pay for renovations across the district and go toward more specific projects at Central Junior High School and the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center.

Stacy Kinder, a former school board member who is leading the campaign, said those involved soon will be going door-to-door and making calls to voters, as well as mailing information about the proposal.

She also is running the campaign's Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts and encouraged those who have questions to reach out online or talk with school administrators.

At Friday's presentation, superintendent James Welker said the measure does not include a change in the current tax rate, and if the measure fails, the rate will not change. However, if the proposal is approved -- which would require a four-sevenths supermajority vote -- the district's existing debt would be extended.

Its current debt is scheduled to be paid off by 2030, and the $20 million proposal would extend the debt an additional five years, Welker said.

The district's overall rate is $4.1567 per $100 of assessed value and of that, 68 cents is for debt service.

The proposal would pay for upgrades to the junior high building at 205 Caruthers Ave., including improved safety and security, changing grade levels in ramps and adding rails to increase accessibility for those with disabilities.

The measure looks at the location of administrative offices, which would be moved to the junior high's old gymnasium that sits in the middle of the building.

The project also would house other student services, science labs in the basement and a new practice gymnasium. The cost is estimated at about $9.8 million.

At the kickoff event, Carla Fee, principal at the junior high, said the school's restrooms haven't been updated since the building was built in the early 1950s and need repairs.

"I would encourage people who have questions to just come by and see the building for themselves," she said. "It's a beautiful building, but it's an old building, and it needs a lot of updates."

Jacquie Maxton said she has a daughter in eighth grade at the junior high and two younger children who will attend the school in the future.

"I think the junior high definitely needs to be updated," Maxton said, who also is a third-grade teacher at Alma Schrader. "It's the future of all the kids I'm teaching."

The Career and Technology Center expansion is priced at $5.9 million and would allow health-care services and more to be provided at the center at 1080 S. Silver Springs Road.

"The Cape Technology Center has been a huge asset to this community," said Neil Glass, assistant superintendent of administrative services, said Friday. "We're out of space out there, and we're even hosting some classes off-site."

One of the smaller projects includes adding a driveway at Clippard Elementary School.

"If you've ever been caught in traffic at Clippard at 3:15, you know what I'm talking about," Glass said. "We need a driveway out there. It is a nightmare."

All the projects included in the proposal are on the district's website at capetigers.com/bond and are the second phase of a facility plan developed in 2008 and 2009.

The first phase, which included projects such as replacing Franklin Elementary School, was addressed with a $40 million bond issue passed in 2010.

During Friday's presentation, Kinder urged the community to vote April 7, because a supermajority is required for the proposal to pass.

"It's a small election, so I know the temptation is there to maybe skip this one," she said. "But it's extremely important to the district and the kids in our district."

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639