TO A VOTE: ADVANCE WILL FACE BOND ISSUE

ADVANCE -- Officials of the Advance School District propose expanding the elementary school and making improvements to other school buildings. But those plans depend on voter approval of two tax measures on the April 7 ballot.

Voters will be asked to approve a $350,000 bond issue and a 38-cent operating levy hike.

The bond issue would finance construction of additional classrooms for the elementary school, said Terry Pearcy, school district superintendent.

The operating levy hike would be used for improve~ments and repairs to school buildings, replacement of school buses, and the purchase of other equipment and supplies.

A four-sevenths majority is needed for passage of the bond issue, while the operating levy proposal would require a simple majority.

"We hope the community will think in long-range terms," said Pearcy. "We want to have a good school district and this is vital for that effort."

The bond issue would be retired over seven years, while the operating levy hike would be permanent.

Pearcy said the bond issue would be retired with a debt service levy that would average 43 cents annually over the seven-year period.

Combined, the two tax measures would mean an 81-cent hike in the current $1.62 tax rate.

Pearcy said additional classrooms are needed at the elementary school to alleviate overcrowded conditions. The school, built in the mid-1950s, and three portable classrooms serve 275 elementary school students.

The bond issue would finance construction of a building to house five classrooms, including a school library. The addition would replace the portable classrooms, which are about 20 years old.

If any money is left over from the bond issue, Pearcy said, it could be used to help fund repairs and improvements to school district buildings.

School officials had looked at replacing the aging high school, built in 1924. But they elected not to do so after a recent inspection by a structural engineer indicated that the brick building is in better shape than originally thought.

Instead, school officials hope to make repairs at the high school, as well as at other school buildings in the district. The improvements would include tuckpointing and roof repairs on a number of school buildings.

"We would be looking at an internal facelift at the high school." But Pearcy said the building, which would be 75 years old in 1999, will have to be replaced in the near future.

The superintendent explained that the April ballot issues are part of a long-range improvement plan.

"This is the first phase in a long-range building plan. At the end of the seven-year period that we have for the current proposed bond issue, plans are to assess the community again and look to building a new high school."

Pearcy said the 38-cent levy hike is needed to help replace an aging transportation fleet.

"We have transportation needs that need to be addressed. We haven't purchased a new bus in over two years and the current fleet is getting older, and getting a great deal of wear and miles on it." As a result, maintenance costs have increased, he said.

The school district has seven buses and a van. Pearcy said that if the levy hike is approved, the district will be able to regularly replace its buses.

The levy hike, he said, is also needed just to help meet the school district's operating expenses.

"Our current expenditures have increased at a rate of 4.3 percent over the last seven years," said Pearcy.

About 525 students are enrolled in the Advance school system.

"Our enrollment hit a low spot in 1981, at 460," the superintendent said. Since then enrollment has grown.

"It's been steady for the past decade, and we have more people moving in, it seems, on a periodic basis," said Pearcy.

The district covers about 90 square miles and encompasses parts of three counties: primarily Stoddard, but also parts of Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties.

"We are like many other school districts in the state," he said. "We are trying to make progress" despite state funding problems.

"We are looking at trying to keep the existing staff in light of (budget) cutbacks," said Pearcy.

The school district has 37 certified and 16 non-certified personnel.

"We have one high school math teacher and one junior high math teacher," he pointed out. "We can't cut below one in critical areas.

"Larger school districts are looking at cutting sections out, but we don't have that flexibility," said Pearcy.

"One benefit that the community has enjoyed for a number of years is that the school tax rate has been low compared to other small school districts in our area, and Southeast Missouri and the state as a whole," he said.

"As the burden shifts to less state funding, local schools are going to have to pick up the difference."

Pearcy said that a positive aspect of small school districts like Advance is that "people can relate to each other more on a one-to-one basis."

School events are community affairs. "When people come to athletic contests, for instance, it's not just to watch the game; it's a social event," said Pearcy.

"We have a positive attitude and we are working hard to overcome obstacles."