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Bartlesville Public Schools

Posted: May 20, 2019 7:25 PMUpdated: May 20, 2019 7:29 PM

Bartlesville Board of Education Passes Bond to Vote

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Garrett Giles

The Bartlesville Board of Education awards a bid for the purchase of General Obligation Building Bonds worth $10.5 million Monday night. The Bond Issue bid was awarded to JP Morgan.

From there, Chief Financial Officer David Boggs talked to the Board of Education about issuing the G.O. Building Bonds.

The issuance would allow the Board to provide a levy for an annual tax. Those bonds will be sold in the month of June to levy accordingly.

Boggs added that the millage would drop at least one point due to the low interest rate. He said that these bonds will be used to pay the lease-purchase payment for the 2013 Bond Issue.

All will be paid except for $500,000. That money will have to be an additional bond for next year.

The Board would approve the issuance of the Bond before passing a resolution authorizing the Bond to be put to a vote.

Superintendent Chuck McCauley said this Bond Issue will have a positive impact on the rising agriculture program for BPS

Part of the Bond would go towards building a Power and Mechanic Shop for the new Ag Program located southwest of the Bruin Activity Center. The 88x55-foot building will 2 partitioned classrooms, a central office area and a large space for instruction to house welders, woodworking equipment, lockers and more.

McCauley added that this Bond Issue will continue to grow technology for the District’s award-winning STEM program.

In August, the District will be one-to-one in providing a Chromebook device to all 6th through 12th graders. At all elementary schools, there will be at least 6 Chromebook carts.

The biggest part of the Bond Issue, McCauley said, will be refreshing those STEM devices and equipment to keep the programs up-to-date.

Also in the Bond Issue, there will be further safety enhancements (i.e. more cameras, updated entry kiosks, improved doors and locks and safer pedestrian crossings).

Replacement of buses that are over a decade old and the replacement of climate control systems, elevators that are 50 years old will take place if the Bond Issue passes. There will also be improvements to the press box at Custer Stadium that is 65-years old. 1/3 of the funds for the press box have been paid for by private funds.

The election for the current Bond Issue is Tuesday, August 13th.


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