The Knox Community School Board approved a motion to place a public question on the ballot in May for voters in the school district regarding the proposed elementary school project.
Superintendent A.J. Gappa said no community member spoke out against the project in a public hearing held on Dec. 3 regarding the proposed project, so the issue now goes to the voters.
“There were no remonstrances against the project filed in the clerk’s office so the board has moved forward to place the public question on the ballot ,” said Gappa. “The board wants the public input and they feel that’s needed and also to keep the project outside the Circuit Breaker.” (aj gappa 01-24 #1)
The project entails building a new wing where the Palmer Wing now stands on the elementary school grounds. Several studies were done regarding the project and the board feels that it is in the best interest of the students that the project go forward. The infrastructure is currently not available to house the needs of the future in that portion of the building that is now 60 years old.
In an earlier setting, the board approved a hard cost cap of approximately $12.5 million and a total cost of $16 million. The tax rate will be just over 28 cents per $100 as a maximum.
There is no election scheduled in 2013 so Starke County Clerk Evelyn Skronski will be working on a ballot just for this question to be presented to voters in May.
