School candidates differ on bond, long-range plan

Mar. 21—Millions of dollars in public education are at stake now and in the future based on decisions voters make on April 2.

At a forum Thursday, members of the public got an opportunity to weigh the merit of several candidates for the district's Board of Education.

The most divergence occurred over Proposition St. Joseph School District, a $20 million proposed bond issue that has been endorsed by the event's host, the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, and the related long-range plan for the district's future. Gathered at the Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center were Board of Education contenders LaTonya Williams, Kenneth Reeder, Tami Pasley, Warren Ingram III, Mike Moore, Jacob McMillian, Sean Connors and Ronda Chesney. Kim Dragoo did not attend. Steven Carrillo, also on the ballot, has quit the race.

Reeder alone said he opposes the bond issue, stating he believes it will cause people who cannot afford it to pay more tax over time. Reeder, an incumbent, was the lone board member to vote against the measure on Jan. 22. The monies invested would install artificial turf fields at schools, expand running tracks, increase learning in technology, science and the fine arts, install a district-wide intercom system and upgrade climate control systems, among other measures.

"I'm discouraged by the bond because of the tax, and in trying to sell it," Reeder said. "I disagree with everybody about this, but it is a tax increase, so I would rather just be honest and truthful about this, folks. It is a tax increase."

Proposition SJSD is billed as a no-tax-increase bond because it does not change the current $4.32 levy, of which the district uses 53 cents to service its debt. If 57.143% or more of the voters are in favor on April 2, it will take longer to pay current debts, as McMillian observed.

"I do support the bond, I do support the continuation of the tax rate," he said. "And Mr. Reeder is right. I mean, we asked the public to pay 10 years of debt. Now we're asking them to pay 15. I mean, you are gonna pay more taxes. But I do think it's worth it."

Moore echoed the reasons McMillian gave for being in favor of the bond.

"You know, the things that are on there are all much needed," he said. "There's virtually, with the future plan, there's virtually no chance that those items are wasted. They benefit all kinds of students and teachers across the district."

If the bond issue is rejected on April 2 and a potential second ballot question on Aug. 6 also does not pan out, the district will see its bonding capacity reduced, while the debt service levy will go down by more than half. This would be an obstacle for the long-range plan, which envisions by 2030 two $80 million bond issues, one after the other, being put to the voters. That would help pay for new construction.

"I support two brand new high schools for our community and for our kids, they deserve them," Pasley said. "I also support the (grades) 6 through 8 middle school. Research for years, for probably 20 years, has supported a 6 through 8 middle school proposal."

Williams said she loves everything about the long-range plan, as it will produce buildings comparable to Staley High School in Kansas City.

"I think it is amazing, it is progress, everyone in our community truly needs this," she said. "Our kids, our educators ... just looking at the plan and looking at the possibilities, I think, is able to give a lot of us a lot of hope."

Ingram said he cannot favor any plan that alters the current arrangement of three high schools. The district should renovate the buildings it has and reorganize which students attend where before it starts talking of new construction, he said.

"The boundaries issue, I think we need to sit down and realistically look at," he said. "We need to find out what's good for all of the schools, and we also have to take into consideration what's good for all of the students."

Connors said he has always been a supporter of the two new high school system.

"I know that for our facilities, Lafayette and Benton are both over a hundred years old," he said. "Central is pushing it, that building's (from) 1932. I think it's time that we invest in our city, invest in our kids and get some new infrastructure for our children."

Chesney said the long-range plan is a good start, and added she favors continuing its implementation.

"I agree that all of the children in our community need to be able to have the same academic classes offered to them, so they have the same opportunities for learning," she said. "I also think that the plan can be a great (staff) recruit and retain tool, as well."

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem