Hartley, Iowa — They’re going to try it again in the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn School District — the bond issue, that is. And proponents of the issue hope the third time is the charm.
Last September, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn voters narrowly defeated a $16.25 million bond issue for building updates, renovations, and additions. According to the unofficial results from the O’Brien County Auditor’s office, while over 56 percent of voters voted for the bond issue, Iowa bond issues need a 60 percent “supermajority” to pass.
Officials say a “yes” result would have meant the closing of the current elementary in Hartley and the building of a new elementary beside the high school in Hartley. It would also have meant building on to the middle school in Sanborn, and renovating the present middle school; as well as doing some upgrades at the High School in Hartley.
Due to prices going up, the new question to be put to the voters on Tuesday, April 4, 2017 contains language about bonds not exceeding $16.5 million instead of last September’s amount of $16.25 million. A similar bond issue was defeated in the spring of 2014. The bond amount on that bond issue was $17.5 million.
The question on the ballot reads –
“Shall the Board of Directors of the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District, in the Counties of O’Brien, Osceola, Dickinson and Clay, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $16,500,000 for the purpose of furnishing, equipping, constructing, improving, repairing and renovating school buildings and improving the sites therefor at the school district’s existing school buildings in Sanborn and Hartley, to include: an addition to and renovations of the existing Sanborn middle school campus, including new middle school classrooms, renovated art, music, and library areas, a competitive gym and site improvements; and an addition to and renovations of the Hartley high school campus to include a new elementary school addition, renovations and upgrades to the high school facilities to include new industrial technology areas and new wrestling facilities, new parking areas and other site improvements?”
Also on the ballot will be the Director District 1 seat to fill the vacancy.
Click here for the form for an absentee ballot: HMS Absentee Ballot Request
Ballots can also be obtained by contacting the O’Brien County Auditor’s Office.
