In an attempt to finalize details of its proposed bond issue, the Rolla Board of Education will take up the issue for the third consecutive meeting tonight.
Putting the bond issue together in stages, board members first voted to pursue a bond sale and than to present the voters with a $9.2 million effort.
Decisions on the amount of the proposed increase and its official ballot language were tableds until tonight’s meeting.
Previous discussions centered around three funding options, a $0.10 or $0.05 increase in the debt-service levy, or an extension of the current levy for another 20 years.
The $0.10 increase didn’t receive much support from board members in December, since it would net several million dollars more than proposed construction projects at the Junior High, Middle School and High School are estimated to need.
According to Gregory Bricker, executive vice president of George K. Baum & Co., the levy would not exceed $0.05 and could be lower. A $0.05 tax increase is estimated to provide $11 million in funds.
Increasing taxes was the major disagreement between board members at the December meeting, with two no-votes being cast against the $9.2 million bond issue.
