Twin Rivers School Board moves forward with 'Proposition CARE' bond to reinvest in education

BROSELEY — The Twin Rivers R-X School Board has decided to move forward with a bond issue that will be presented to the voters in April under the name “Proposition CARE.”

C.A.R.E. is an acronym that stands for Community Action Reinvesting in Education and, if passed, it would be the first tax levy in 20 years.

“Actually, if you go back to 2004 and compare from then to now, it’s actually down 7 cents,” Brown explained previously, when discussions about the issue started. “We have had to make do with what we’ve got. And I’m proud of what we have been able to do. But we have to stay focused on staying ahead of things before issues get worse.”

Brown made clear from the November board meeting to now that the bond issue would be an 80-cent debt service levy, the funds from which would go into a separate account and be earmarked specifically for the school building projects.

“Essentially, we would be looking at collecting 80 cents per $100 of assessed valuation,” Brown explained. “So that would be $8 per thousand.”

The funds raised by the bond would help with building projects throughout the district, the board has said previously.

Brown informed the board that a public committee has been formed for the bond issue, and the new committee’s first meeting will be at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23.

Brown explained the first meeting will likely be brief and will consist of basic procedural things like appointing a treasurer. The meeting will also be open to the public.

In other board news, Qulin Mayor Justin Parks spoke to the board and requested the board members agree to a memorandum of understanding with the city of Qulin as it pertains to utilizing school property as a shelter in the event of a disaster.

“The city of Qulin hadn’t had an update emergency plan since 1990, when that big earthquake was supposed to hit,” Parks explained. “Now, we’re putting together something new and updated, and we are asking for the memorandum of understanding about school property in the event there is a major disaster and the school happens to be one of the few structures remaining.”

Parks went on to explain the memorandum doesn’t obligate the school to being an automatic emergency location.

“It’s a decision that would have to be made at that time,” Parks explained. “It could be there’s a disaster and the school might not be standing. It’s a just in case sort of thing.”

“I don’t know what my opinion is worth, but the community built those school buildings, so they should be able to use them,” noted board President Bobby King.

The board voted unanimously to sign the memorandum.

The board also approved the scheduled dates for summer school. The Twin Rivers School District summer school will begin on May 27 and go through June 20.

The next board meeting will be at 6p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19.