Jan 30, 2025

St. Joseph voters will decide $157 million bond issue in April

Posted Jan 30, 2025 5:00 PM
File photo
File photo

By MATT PIKE

St. Joseph Post

The St. Joseph School Board will put a $157 Million bond issue before voters in April in an effort to raise money to help build two new high schools.

The board proposes raising the debt service levy by 60-cents per $100 assessed valuation. If approved, the current levy would increase from 53-cents to $1.13 cents.

Superintendent Gabe Edgar says in putting together how much money was needed, the board wanted to do everything right

"If we're going to do this, they wanted to do it right, and so the $157 million tag is where we landed and that has everything, it has a performing arts center, I'm just using that as an example because that was something we could have taken out as a money savings for $10 million, but we chose not to, and I think that was the right move on the Board of Education's part," Edgar tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.

Edgar says the money would benefit the long-range plan of moving to a two high school model, building two new buildings.

"Benton and Lafayette would both become middle schools, Truman and Bode would stay as middle schools," Edgar explains. "Spring Garden and Roubidoux would become elementary schools, and the elementary model right now is 13 and it would go to 10."

Edgar says if the measure is not approved, the board plans to move forward with its long-range plan to downsize from three to two high schools.

"If you go to a two high school model, Benton is the one that's not big enough to use," Edgar says. "So, let's say it goes to the public and in the long-range plan it states that if it fails you go to a two high school model anyway, and the two high school model would essentially be Central and Lafayette if you went that path."

The money raised from the measure would finance construction of a new high school south of 36 highway as well as land acquisition. Money will also be put towards improvements and repairs of current facilities.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.