Last week, the Charles City School Board voted unanimously to the issuance $4 million in Infrastructure Sales, Services and Use Tax Revenue Bonds to pay for improvements at the High School, including HVAC and electrical upgrades, plumbing in the Art Room, and bathrooms for ADA Compliance. But the School Board isn’t stopping there.
The district has contracted with FEH Design to put a bond referendum before voters this November to address additional facility needs, perhaps even a performing arts center. During a workshop session with the Board last week, FEH’s Matt Basye acknowledged the limitations of the current High School, built over 60 years ago.
In preparation for a bond referendum, an online survey is now available for stakeholders to weigh in on why they didn’t vote in favor of or why they felt the $28.5 million bond referendum in November 2023 failed to pass.
FEH’s Chris Wand said they hope to get relevant feedback from the survey.
Charles City Mayor Dean Andrews served on the “Vote Yes” committee for the failed ’23 bond referendum. He commended the School Board for their approach this time around.
Basye also noted the $4 million in infrastructure bonds will allow the school district to lower “the ask” of the next bond referendum, though no dollar amount has been established. Basye said their target is to have the parameters of a bond referendum to the School Board by early June.
A link to the post bond referendum online survey is available here.
