By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 Board of Education once again talked details of an upcoming bond issue at Monday night’s work session, fleshing out a plan to ask for sales taxes to offset the agreed-upon price of around $94 million.
The current price tag was voted upon by board members at their Nov. 17 meeting.
Several components of the bond were discussed at the meeting and, as usual, funding was a primary feature of the discussion.
“There is a lot of information to gather,” said Dean Katt, USD 489 superintendent.
Katt, along with a representative from the board, spoke with city officials about the potential of sales taxes offsetting the bond.
“There is an option for a quarter cent in general purpose and the possibility of a half cent special purpose tax that would only last 10 years,” Katt said.
For those talks to continue, the board would have to vote on pursuing those revenue streams.
“What we want to do is ask officially on the 21st (the board’s) permission, or see if everybody is on the same page about going to the city,” he said
If the board approves, a full presentation would be given to the Hays City Commission.
An approval by the city would change the way the board would present the bond for vote.
“We wouldn’t be able to do a mail ballot, if the city agrees and wants to take that to the voters,” Katt said.
A mail ballot can only present one question, so multiple questions about the bond would need to be a traditional walk-in vote.
Both measures would significantly impact the final cost of the project.
“It makes a huge difference in property tax and the length of the bonds,” Katt said.
The board also discussed details of the scope of work and how best to present the information to area residents, starting with building administrators looking over the scope of work proposed by the board.
No proposed changes came out of those meetings, but many questions were answered, Katt said.
“Just good, good information from every one of the principals,” he said.
With the scope of work being pinned down, no cost will change, even if plans are tweaked at individual sites.
“It’s just generic. … The dollar amounts won’t change,” Katt said. “They’re budget figures, but what they will have to work with is that $94 million.
“We have been working, really daily, on these things.”
The board also looked at some potential information that will be presented to residents through brochures and PowerPoint presentations.
“Everyone that goes out and presents or talks about it will use the same information, so we’re all on the same page,” Katt said, asking the board to look at the initial mock-ups for the brochures.
“I love this. I love the information about registering to vote. I liked the pictures,” said Sarah Rankin, board member. She noted, however, there is a lot of information in a small brochure.
“That is a concern,” Katt said.
“Really what we are trying to do is get all the information in the brochure,” Katt said.
She suggested breaking down totals and less jargon for easier consumption for the community.
“I’m excited about it,” Katt said. “I wish I had more definite or defined information to hand out, but it’s just going to take a little while to put it all together.”
Despite the anxiety to begin the community information campaign, getting the message pinned down is a bigger priority for the board and the administration.
“The biggest fear is saying something now and then having to go back and retract,” Katt said.
“That’s what we are trying to do now, is develop the message and that message needs to be consistent among all the groups and all the things they are saying, everything we present,” said Mark Hauptman, assistant superintendent.