By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph voters showed strong support for a $20 million bond issue that'll benefit the entire St. Joseph School District.
More than 65 percent of voters who showed out were in favor of the bond issue, which will go toward public safety upgrades, academic programs and activities. The bond needed 57 percent approval for passage.
Kevin Kelly, Co-Chair of Friends of the St. Joseph School District, says this was a needed victory, as the district looks to make some needed improvements.
"We're extremely pleased that the community saw through a lot of the misinformation and a lot of the noise that really was a distraction," Kelly told KFEQ Radio Tuesday night. "The community said, 'No, we support the school district.' Their vote (Tuesday) was a clear indicator that it is moving in the right direction. This bond passage gives us the support and money we need to make some of the investments necessary."
The passage of this bond comes at no additional cost to taxpayers. Public safety projects in the bond include extending the district sidewalk program, which plans sidewalks for Pickett and Pershing Elementary and possibly Spring Garden Middle School.
Public safety projects also include a partnership with the city to build roads at Carden Park and Oak Grove Elementary Schools
HVAC upgrades will be funded, as will an upgrade to the district-wide intercom system. Artificial turf will be added to the high school football fields, and money will also be invested in the performing arts.
Kelly says a common misconception surrounding this bond is the money was only going to go toward turf football fields. But, he says it spans well beyond that.
"Theater and fine arts in multiple schools," he said. "We're adding onto Hosea (Elementary), putting classrooms in, which are needed, because it's over capacity. So, we can get out of trailers and put them in real classrooms."
"We have access points - the driving up and walking around several of the schools. It should have been done when they were built. Two of the newer schools, but it wasn't. Therefore, now we can put in the safety measures of the sidewalks and dropping kids off without having to worry about things."
Kelly adds this bond is crucial, as the district works to keep up with peer districts in the Kansas City metro when it comes to facilities and opportunities for students.
"It helps get us back on track," he said. "We have to reverse the enrollment decline and start attracting the families and getting them to stay here. This at least puts us on the right direction to get the school district rebuilt and able to compete with other surrounding school districts."
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