Gore School Bond Would Build New Events Center

A Gore School bond proposal, to be voted on Aug. 23, will be a good buy for Gore School District patrons, supporters say.

The $4.9 million bond, if approved by voters, will provide the school and community with a 26,170 square foot events center for use by the school and the community, including an auditorium with a stage for school and community events, safe rooms on both the high school and elementary campuses, a multi-use concession stand, high school and junior high football and basketball dressing rooms, a training room for teams that doubles as a hospitality room for events and a classroom, plus parking on three sides for patrons.

The two safe rooms will also double as classrooms. At the high school the safe room will be used as a band room during the day. The elementary safe room will double as a learning lab during the school day. The safe rooms will be available to the public in times of emergency after school hours.

The stage and auditorium would have seating sufficient for tournaments, community events, graduations, plays, contests, funerals or any other need of the school or community.

The cost will be a monthly increase of $2.61 per month per $100 of yearly tax, or $6.53 per month per $250 tax, or $13.06 per month for a yearly tax bill of $500.

According to school officials the bond mills would average 26.88 mills over the life of the 10-year bond. As a comparison, Webbers Falls patrons pay 27.57 mills on their bond.

School Superintendent Lucky McCrary said the community response to the proposed bond has “been very positive, with a few naysayers.”

The school web site promotes the building as, “large enough to meet future growth needs of the school and community.”

The proposal has been in the planning stage for five years, and consideration was given to patrons’ concerns, the community’s and school’s needs and future growth.

McCrary explained that the $901,053 in taxes received from Sequoyah Fuels was deposited, by law, in the school’s sinking fund, general fund and building fund. The building fund money was used to build a new vo-ag building, the general fund money is held for general expenditures and to shield against state revenue shortfalls, and the sinking fund money was paid on current bond debt.

Gans School is also planning a vote on a $315,000 bond issue on Aug. 23. Stay tuned for information on that proposal in the near future.

The Aug. 23 election date was set aside by the state for a run-off election. However, there are no runoff elections in Sequoyah County, and the bond issues will be the only choices on the ballots, and the elections will only be in the respective school districts.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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