Tulsa World: Districts plan bond issue vote for school upgrades

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Districts plan bond issue vote for school upgrades

This rendering shows a fine arts facility that would be built with passage of a $42 million school bond issue in Sand Springs that voters will go to the polls for Tuesday. Courtesy

By RHETT MORGAN World Staff Writer
Published: 10/11/2009 2:21 AM
Last Modified: 10/11/2009 4:11 AM

Officials in the Sands Springs school district used an aggressive, get-it-out approach when it came to detailing Tuesday's bond election, Superintendent Lloyd Snow said.

"I've been a superintendent for 31 years," he said. "I've never seen the public engagement in really rolling up your sleeves to figure out a really sharp scope of work that's going to touch every child in every way, every day."

Snow said that since mid-August, 37 public presentations were made about the proposed $42.1 million bond for school improvements.

"We have some anxiety. We're not going to mislead anyone," Snow said. "But we want to make sure our public is well-informed. We feel like that information is power and that is people understand our needs and what we're going to do and how we're going to do it, it's more likely that they will agree with us."

Sands Springs' school election highlights a Tuesday in which voters will decide the fate of large bonds in school districts such as Owasso ($18.7 million) and Chouteau-Mazie ($11.4 million). In Creek County, Milfay Public Schools has a $1 million-plus bond on the ballot, and in Barnsdall (Osage County), two council seats are up for grabs, as well as a street commissioner slot.

In Wagoner County, voters in Okay will decide on a 25-year Oklahoma Gas and Electric franchise.

A 60 percent "supermajority" of voter approval is required by state law for passage of school bond issues.

In the Sand Springs school district, officials are asking for about $23 million to be set aside for a new elementary school to replace a building constructed about 1930, Snow said. Roughly $7 million would go toward a new fine arts facility, he said.

"If you've ever been in our band room and vocal music rooms at Charles Page, you can quickly see how undersized they are for our size school," Snow said.

Other upgrades included in the proposition are basketball complex improvements ($2.75 million), wrestling facility ($450,000) and softball/baseball ($550,000), he said. A second question asks for $450,000 for transportation equipment.

"It's a big need in our school district," Snow said. "It's going to be a another statement about, 'If you come to Tulsa, consider Sand Springs. We're a place that's going to connect with kids and going to give kids a great learning experience and as good as facilities as we can provide.'"

In the Owasso school district, voters have OK'd nearly $80 million of improvements in the past five years. In the process, student capacity has grown from 8,000 in 2003 to 10,500 this year (current enrollment has edged past 9,000).

Tuesday, the district will ask voters to approve $4.2 million for security entrances at the Bailey, Hodson, Smith, Ator, Mills and Northeast elementary schools. Other upgrades in the bond include $3.5 million for the completion of the new high school wing and $2.5 million for district-wide technology improvements.

The second proposition requests $1 million for transportation equipment.

If the Chouteau-Mazie school bond passes, officials plan to build a new $11.4 million high school and complete the Early Childhood Center. In a separate question, $250,000 is being requested for new buses.

Rhett Morgan 581-8395
rhett.morgan@tulsaworld.com By RHETT MORGAN World Staff Writer

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my view, Sand Springs (10/11/2009 9:14:34 AM)

When the Sand Springs school bond passes the biggest winners will be our children and grandchildern.

I will be voting YES on both questions and I hope that other Sand Springs residents do the same.

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