The Geary USD 475 Board of Education has voted 4-2 to hold a special election to consider approval of a new high school on a new site with a price not to exceed $105 million dollars. In his motion Board member Brian Field said that would be contingent on the school district receiving the March 2017 federal heavily impacted aid payment and the 48% state capital improvement aid for the project. The goal is to fund the project without any increase in the local property tax mill levy.
The JCHS Way Forward Steering Committee that has been studying the high school issue submitted a recommendation to the BOE Monday evening to build a new high school on a new site at a cost not to exceed $105 million and with no increase in the local property tax levy.
Board of Education members Brian Field, Ferrell Miller, LaDonna Junghans and Tom Brungardt voted in favor of the motion, while Carolyn Gaston and Anwar Khoury cast no votes.
Khoury said he was for a new school but wanted to see a project in the $85 million dollar range. He wanted the project sent out for three bids before the school board approved anything. He initiated a lengthy discussion that led the Board to take a five minute recess before returning for more discussion prior to the final vote. Gaston stated she was willing to go forward with the project but she agreed with Khoury on the cost estimate. “We deserve a new high school. I will tell you that. But I want it for the best price that we can possibly get, and I am not for giving somebody a blank check.”
Board member Ferrell Miller referred to the local schools, which have as one mission the task of educating the military family students at Fort Riley. . ” I think it is very important that we keep in mind what big Army is doing in reference to our community and what soldiers are looking at in terms of making decisions.” Miller noted that base realignment and closure is being looked at again, Fort Riley is important to Junction City, and soldiers go online and look at the schools before coming to the post. He added they make choices and the school district needs to be at the top of their game.
Board member Brian Fields stated that the district staff was tasked to develop a plan where a high school could be built without raising the mill levy, or affecting the local taxes, and they’ve done that. “We asked a steering committee to vet this and they’ve done that, and we asked them to bring a recommendation to us and they’ve done that.”
After more discussion the school board also voted 5-1 to adopt a resolution authorizing and providing for the calling of a bond election on May 9th. The possibilities of both a mail-in ballot and regular election at the polls were both discussed with the final choice an election at the polls.