Great Bend planning tours ahead of $45M bond issue election

A school bond issue ballot will be mailed to Great Bend USD 428 voters on Aug. 20.

GREAT BEND — It comes down to two simple “yes” or “no” questions for the Great Bend school district. The outcome from a mail-in ballot will determine if USD 428 is able to move forward with renovations, enhancements, and additions to their facilities.

The first bond question worth $41,750,000 plans to make renovations to all seven of the school buildings, including a new sixth-grade classroom wing at Great Bend Middle School to make the shift of sixth graders to the middle school.

USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton says the district will be providing tours to anyone that wants to view the existing buildings and hear about the plans.

“We’re talking about virtual tours as well,” Thexton said. “If you want to see it in person or virtually, you have that option.”

The first bond would also demolish the 100-year-old portion of Washington and build new in its place. Plans are to build a new transportation, maintenance, and grounds building at the District Education Center site.

The second bond question of $3,120,000 wants to build a new gymnasium and locker rooms at the middle school to accommodate the addition of sixth grade.

“We want to get out the information as much as possible,” said Thexton. “We want to eliminate some of the misinformation that might be out there.”

All registered voters in the school boundary will be mailed a ballot on August 20 with September 5 as the deadline to return the ballot. The voter registration deadline is August 6.

Detailed information on the bond issue can be found at www.greatbendschools.net/bond.