The Tea Area School Board is putting a bond on a local election ballot. Voters will decide the multi-million dollar issue before the New Year. This is the second attempt at a similar bond to improve facilities within the Tea Area School District.
Voters defeated bond issue in September that would have built new facilities. This election was defeated by a very small margin of only 31 votes. Tea Area School Board President John Herr says a few changes were made between the defeated proposal and the newly proposed one.
"We are putting a $10.5 million in bonds out to the voters on Dec. 10. This is similar to what was put out a couple months ago that was defeated, that was an $11 million bond issue," Herr says.
Herr says this proposed bond includes a North Elementary in Sioux Falls, an addition to the current elementary school in Tea and a performing arts center. Herr says the defeated proposal from September would have only partially completed the new arts center but this new one would completely finish all three projects. He says the goal is to get kids to enroll in the Tea School District but more importantly stay in the Tea School District.
"So that we know we can continue to get our kids from Kindergarten through graduating. Not only today but when those kindergartners are ready to graduate, when they’re seniors," School Board President Herr says.
Herr says if passed homeowners in Tea would be required to pay $1.36 per $1,000. He says he is optimistic in the passing of this bond on December 10.