October 30, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
Conditional funding for construction of a new elementary school has cleared another hurdle.
The county commission, during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, went on record voting 12-0 committing to fund construction of a new Pre-K to 2nd grade school if the four city governments in the county, Smithville, Alexandria, Liberty, and Dowelltown vote to extend their existing sales tax agreements with the county by January 1, 2025 as recommended by the county budget committee two weeks ago. If the four cities agree to do that, the county will act on a 30 year bond resolution not to exceed $55 million to fund construction of a new school. If the cities don’t extend their agreements, the county will not proceed on its own.
“The budget committee has recommended that we do a bond resolution not to exceed $55 million contingent on all the other municipalities participating in extending their local option sales tax agreements by January 1, 2025,” said County Mayor Matt Adcock. “We do hope the public goes out and talks to their aldermen and mayors if you live in the towns of Alexandria, Liberty, Dowelltown, and Smithville and want this new elementary school. The budget committee does believe with advice from our financial advisor that we could fund the elementary school as presented without raising property taxes by using sales taxes only and only if the municipalities extend their sales tax agreements that we already have with them. If we don’t have signed agreements from all those municipalities and the board of education by January 1, 2025 then it dissolves,” said County Mayor Adcock.
Commissioners voting in favor were Tom Chandler, Daniel Cripps, Myron Rhody, Sabrina Farler, Tony Luna, Tony (Cully) Culwell, Greg Matthews, Glynn Merriman, Larry Green, Jeff Barnes, Andy Pack, and Beth Pafford. Commissioners Susannah Cripps and Mathias Anderson were absent.
County attorney Hilton Conger stressed that this vote was only in support of the project and not the actual bond resolution itself.
Should the cities extend their sales tax agreements funds for construction of a new school would be totally supported from the local purpose fund (local option sales taxes) to debt service to cover the projected costs. No property tax dollars would be needed to fund it.
During a joint meeting with the Board of Education and Director of Schools on October 8, the County Commission and County Mayor heard from Brian Templeton of Upland Design Group, the school board’s architect on plans to build a new 800 student Pre-K to 2nd grade elementary school to replace the existing Smithville Elementary complex. The construction would be on property adjacent to Northside Elementary School.
Templeton conducted a power point presentation showing a rendering of the proposed new school as well as the schematic design and floor plans. The commission had first been shown the plans in a joint meeting with the school board two years ago.
According to Templeton, the plans are exactly the same except for the cost. In September 2022 the projected cost to build this proposed 124,207 square foot facility was $46,199,875. Today, the projected cost is $53,414,825.
Under the sales tax agreements with the county, which are set to expire in 13 years on July 16, 2037, the cities turn over to the county for schools a greater percentage of their local option sales tax collections than they would otherwise be required to do. That money goes into what is called the Local Purpose Tax Fund for Schools to help fund school operation and debt. Officials say the county must be able to count on that extra sales tax money coming in from the cities over the life of the 30-year bond in order to cover the costs without having to use or raise property taxes to fund it.