School board moves forward on $9M bond
Published 12:25 am Sunday, August 27, 2017
NATCHEZ — The Natchez-Adams School Board approved minutes Friday that would be part of its package to take out a $9 million bond to help fund a district wide building project.
School Board Attorney Bruce Kuehnle said the minutes would be used as part of the package the district must submit when taking out the $9 million bond.
Kuehnle said the district has not made a final decision on when the district would submit the package.
The board approved the minutes from July 26 and July 28. The minutes from July 26 primarily concerned the $9 million bond.
The school board seeks to borrow $9 million to begin to fund renovations throughout the school district.
The $9 million bond likely would be paid for through a limited tax note, which would probably require a 3-mill increase in taxes.
The district also seeks to acquire an additional $25 million through a lease program.
A group of residents sought to force the decision to borrow $9 million to a November election, but did not get enough signatures. Many of the petitioners have said they cannot afford a tax increase.
Residents have also said taking out a $9 million bond was against the will of the community because voters had already defeated the school district’s earlier $35 million bond request for building improvements during a May election.
Kevin Wilson, who led the failed petition effort, filed a lawsuit earlier this month. The lawsuit asks the Adams County Circuit Court to strike down the school board’s actions toward borrowing the $9 million.
The lawsuit alleges the school board’s resolution to borrow $9 million violated the law by not providing proper notice to the citizens of Adams County and by not following proper procedures as set by state law.