HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93009_0205AUG IIM3 188
This is based on the Average Daily Membership (ADM) for
Iredell-Statesville School System and Mooresville Graded School
District, and on full-time, unduplicated students for Mitchell
Community College, Mrs. Blumenstein said.
MOTION from Commissioner Hamby to hold the bond referendum in
November for the amount of $41,000,000 for the three school systems
in Iredell County.
In discussion of the motion, Mr. Mashburn pointed out that the
amount for the community college would have to be stated separately
from that of the public schools when placed on the ballot.
The resolution must be approved in its entirety, Mr. Mashburn
said. Mrs. Blumenstein said this is according to the Local
Government Commission.
Chairman Haire requested Commissioner Hamby to repeat her
motion and include the requirements of the Local Government
Commission.
Commissioner Madison made the following statement and
requested that it be placed in the minutes:
I have some very strong feelings about this issue and I have
tried to put them as concisely as possible and would like to read
this into the record.
We are being asked tonight to support a bond referendum on
November 2nd of this year. As I understand the only advantage of
this date is that a positive vote on November 2, 1993 would allow
the school board and the present administration an additional six
months of planning time. This sounds reasonable on the surface,
but is it the only reason? To review a little history on this
subject, the school board first requested an October 1993 bond
referendum date to coincide with the municipal elections. Could it
be that they thought that a small turn -out of municipal voters
would help accomplish their goal of putting this County $51 million
in debt?
2. The State of North Carolina is having a special election
on November 2, 1993 to approve one of the largest bond packages in
the history of our state. Is there a possibility that the school
board is hoping for a small turn -out with a positive coat tail
effect from the state bond vote?
We as a board have already approved the May bond issue for
school construction in Iredell County. Our staff will have to put
this issue on the fast track to accommodate a change of date. The
original request from Iredell-Statesville schools was for $41
million in bond. This morning Chairman Long and Dr. Register said
that they could get by with less than $30 million. My question is
do they really need that? Could they get by with $25 million?
What is the real need?
I believe instead of rushing around like Chicken Little
screaming, "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!" that we should
charge the school board to come up with a concrete plan of how they
are going to spend $30 million and give us a priority list as to
what would be first, second, third, etc. Also we need a detailed
list of furniture, fixtures, supplies, equipment, projected
operating costs, etc. With this information, we and the people of
Iredell County can make an informed choice at the polls in May.
In looking at the people who are looking for a fast track
vote, I think it rather amusing that it includes a number of past
school board members and commissioners who had the opportunity to
give the voters of Iredell County a vote on merger of the school
systems, but they thought it was not wise to give that much
authority to the voters at that time. Have they had a change of
heart? I think not. This is the same group that advocated a
government of the few, by the few, and for the few.