Schools await bond funds

Clovis Public School district residents will find out this week if millions of dollars will be put forward for structural and technological improvements at schools districtwide.

A special school bond election will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to decide whether the community will put forth $5 million in funding for roof replacing, fiber optic networks, heating and cooling replacement and various other building renovations.

If the bond passes, property taxes would remain steady and the state would match at least 78 percent of the money put forward by the city. School Superintendent Neil Nuttall expects the state to match the full $5 million.

If the bond vote fails, property taxes would be reduced. Nuttall said taxes would be cut 3.8 cents per day on a $60,000 home — or about $14 a year.

The most recent bond election was held in 2000, when $8 million was approved. State matches from that bond exceeded 16 million, which Nuttall said was a result of the school district turning in applications promptly and carrying designated projects.

“As we were funded the first year we did an effective job of doing the things we said we were going to do,” Nuttall said.

If passed, this will be a five-year bond issue. All registered voters in the Clovis school district boundaries are allowed to vote in the election. There are no other issues on the election ballot.

State matching funds are appropriated based on each project proposed and Nuttall said all but one of the identified projects will qualify. Only the fiber optic technology project would not be covered by the state’s Capital Outlay Program, but Nuttall said he is confident a separate program will aid the technology undertaking.

For the Special School Election on Tuesday, the Clovis School District will be consolidated into nine polling places. The most confusing of all of the consolidated precincts may be in sending the Yucca Junior High Precinct 32 to Marshall Junior High.

Precinct 19 is split into two different School Board Member Districts. Part of Precinct 19 will vote at Zia, while the other portion will vote at Marshall.

If voters have any question about where they go to vote, they can call the County Clerk's Office at 763-5591. This office will open at 6 a.m. and will not close until after the polls close.

Special Bond Election Polling Places

Precinct #; General Election Precinct #s; Polling Place

1; 18, and a portion of 19 within Board Member District 1; Zia Elementary, 2400 N. Norris Street

2; 22, 23, 24, and 27 and portions of 26 and 33 within Board Member District 1; Yucca Jr. High, 1500 Sycamore Street

3; 9, 14, 20, 21 and 32 and a portion of 19 within Board Member District 2; Marshall Jr. High, 100 Commerce Way

4; 29 and 31, and a portion of 36 within Board Member District 3; Bella Vista Elementary, 2900 Jefferson

5; 11 and a portion of 10 within Board Member District 3; Sandia Elementary, 2801 Lore

6; 12, 13 and 15, and portions of 3, 10, 16 within Board Member District 4; Barry Elementary, 3401 Thornton Street

7; 17 and 37 and portions of 2 and 35 within Board Member District 4; Mesa Elementary, 4801 N. Norris Street

8; 6, 7, 8, and 25 within Board Member District 5;Gattis Jr. High School, 1400 Cameo Street

9; 5, 28 and portions of 26 and 330 within Board Member District 5; Lockwood Elementary, 400 Lockwood Drive