Glasgow School Board Discusses Possible Bond Levy

The Glasgow School Board met in regular session on July 11, which was a change from their normally scheduled second Wednesday of the month, due to scheduling conflicts. The next regular session Board Meeting will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 16, due to the Northeast Montana Fair the second week of August.

In addition to approving normal business such as the personnel action report and student attendance agreements, Superintendent Wade Sundby also provided the board with an update on bus drivers as the new school year quickly approaches.

“We are hiring bus drivers. We need to pin them down to see if they’re going to be a regular route drivers or if they’re going to be sub drivers,” stated Superintendent Sundby. He also stated how conversations are ongoing regarding how the use of the district’s newly acquired Expedition will be best utilized. Once the routes are finalized, the hope is to have discussions with fellow superintendents to provide all schools with transportation for students attending Glasgow Schools.

The board then discussed the request to raise the prices of student lunch and breakfast by a quarter making the new cost $2.50 per meal for breakfast and $3.50 for lunch. Adult breakfast will also increase a quarter making the new cost $2.75. The reason for this increase is due to rising food costs and the fact the district has not raised rates since the 2019-20 school year. The district has received assistance from a Supply Chain Assistance Grant, which helped stabilize meal prices, but the grant will end this year. Free and Reduced Meal forms will be send to parents and guardians at the beginning of August to see if they are eligible for a reduction when school starts.

With a motion made by board member Chrissa Nelson and seconded by Stan Ozark, the board approved the request to increase the meal prices and these changes will be implemented in the coming school year.

At a previous School Board meeting, the board discussed and voted to proceed in taking out an INTERCAP loan in the amount of $400,000, 10-year term for the high school boiler project and other recommended repairs throughout the district. The Board also previously discussed they would like to pursue the possibility of paying off this loan and other expenses with a possible bond levy to the public.

During this July meeting, the board approved to adopt the loan resolution and documents to continue to move forward with the INTERCAP loan process as well as approved the required resolution to adopt the bond reimbursement. “This only comes into effect if we decide to run the bond...If the bond passes then we can reimburse this loan, pay it off and not have to deal with the interest,” explained Board Chairman Angie Page. “If the bond fails, we still service the loan.”

The Board then discussed the possibility of the bond levy, which would also include phase 1 of the Scottie Field improvements in addition to any other projects as deemed necessary. The discussions surrounded around when voters would be asked to vote on the bond levy, whether or not it should be run with any general levies, as well as how much should be asked for. “We need 70 days. After we decided to run a bond issue, community gets 70 days. So we can vote on it whenever,” stated Page.

No final votes were made at the meeting regarding moving forward on a bond levy due to not having firm numbers yet on the Scottie Field improvements. Preliminary figures still need to be determined on the Scottie Field as the results of the GeoTech survey that was completed are still be analyzed.

Since figures and numbers are still up in the air and conversations need to be have with the Clerk/Recorder/Superintendent of Schools Marie Pippin, no final decision was made on whether or not a bond levy should be proceeded with. Depending on the timing when the figures and numbers will be included, a special school board session will be scheduled or further discussion will be held at the next board meeting scheduled for Aug. 16.

The meeting ended with committee reports, Superintendent Sundby’s report as well as as the approval of minutes, Bills, Student Account Reports and travel leaves which is all normal business.

The next scheduled school board meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 16, in the District Board Room, 229 7th Street N., Glasgow.