Cape Girardeau School Board moves forward on bond issue

Cape Girardeau School Board members reached consensus Monday on moving forward with a possible bond issue to address construction and renovation needs at Central Junior High, the Career and Technology Center and other facilities around the district.

No action was taken during the work session, but assistant superintendent for administrative services Neil Glass said the facilities plan would come back to the board for possible approval in December.

The proposed bond would not exceed $20 million and would not raise taxes, Glass said. The district's overall tax rate is $4.1567 per $100 of assessed value, he has said. Of that, 68 cents is for debt service.

Glass said his recommendation will also be to move forward with a bond issue for the April 2015 ballot.

The two main projects at Central Junior High and the Career and Technology Center would total almost $16 million.

The board talked about these two projects and others during a July planning meeting, but the needs date to 2009 when a long-range facilities plan was developed and divided into two phases, superintendent Dr. Jim Welker said.

Phase I was addressed with a $40 million bond issue passed in April 2010, which included replacing the Franklin Elementary School building, among other projects.

The second phase entailed improvements and new construction at the junior high and Career and Technology Center, among other items.

The junior high, at 205 Caruthers Ave., was built as Central High School in 1951. Central High moved to its current location at 1000 S. Silver Springs Road in 2001-2002, officials said.

Glass said the junior high building doesn't have structural problems, except for the old gym, which he proposes razing. The space would be replaced with a 5,000-square-foot administrative and student service area, plus 12,000 square feet for science labs, new practice gym and restrooms.

Officials said the new set-up would be more convenient for visitors and more secure.

Jerry McCall, a consultant with Educational Consulting Services of Lincoln, Nebraska, said more space could be created by taking three classrooms and making them into two. Cosmetic upgrades would also be made.

Officials noted that more space is needed to accommodate today's teaching techniques, which don't always involve a teacher at the front of the classroom lecturing to students.

At the Career and Technology Center, a 25,000-square-foot facility is proposed to house the Cape College Center and allied health programs, some of which are in leased space at Doctors' Park.

Project architect is Phillip Smith of Cape Girardeau.

Stifel Nicolaus' St. Louis office is the district's financial adviser.

Also addressed in the proposal are:

• Central Middle School's roof.
• The Career and Technology Center roof.
• The driveway at Clippard Elementary School.
• Parking at Jefferson Elementary.
• Handicap accessibility at Blanchard Elementary that could be addressed with a ramp.
• Ongoing heat, ventilation and air-conditioning issues.
• Asphalt resealing and overlaying.
• Window replacement at the Central Administrative Office.
• Resurfacing the tennis courts at Central High School and resurfacing the running tracks at Central High School and Central Junior High School.
• Roof resurfacing at the Career and Technology Center.
• Parking at Franklin Elementary.
• Cafeteria tables at Central Academy.
• Some secondary priorities are lighting at the Central High School ballfields and locker rooms at CHS. These items would depend on funding availability.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

301 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO