Sunday, December 05, 1999
Mason puts schools levy on the shelf
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MASON — When residents of the Mason School District go to the polls in March, they will vote on a bond issue to pay for construction of a high school and a recreation center.
What won't be on the ballot is an operating levy to pay for the day-to-day operations of the new school. That levy, originally planned to coincide with the bond issue, is being delayed a year.
“When we first dreamt up this concept, we were going to put both on the ballot together,” said Russ Carter, president of the Mason Board of Education. “We're not going to do that now. But we want to make sure everyone knows another one (operating levy) is coming. There is no way this building (the new school) will open without an operating levy.”
Mason Schools Treasurer Cary Furniss said with careful planning, the district should be able to end the 2001-02 school year in the black, but will run out of money during the 2002-03 school year — the year the new high school will open if voters approve the March bond issue.
The delay in putting an operating levy on the ballot is needed, Mr. Carter said, to give city leaders and educators time to collaborate on the high school and recreation center. They will be built side by side on 73 acres on Mason-Montgomery Road, between Main Street and Mason High School.
Mr. Furniss said the delay “will allow us to build support from the community because we'll be able to tell them specifically what we want to offer.”
A leadership team made up of city and school officials will meet Monday to decide details of a memorandum of understanding that outlines the responsibilities of the schools and the city on the project.
The memorandum is scheduled for a vote at Mason City Council's Dec. 13 meeting.
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