Ballots have been sent to citizens by mail for them to make their voices heard on the Hemingford School Bond issue, with a deadline to return ballots set for May 13 at 5 p.m.
Recently, Hemingford Public Schools hosted a forum in which they offered information about the upcoming election and how the bond would be used to make improvements to Hemingford Public Schools.
Superintendent Dr. Travis Miller opened the forum noting that the school board has worked hard to identify the needs of the district and cut the superfluous in order to keep the cost low.
“This project is all about needs, not wants,” said Miller.
School Board President Justin Ansley echoed Miller’s statement, explaining that, if passed, this would be the first bond issue at Hemingford Public Schools since 1974.
“We’ve been talking about these needs for a long time and trying to find the right solution,” said Ansley. “As far as this project goes, in 2015, we started talking about facility needs and what we’re going to do to cover those needs. We tried a bond proposal during a little global pandemic in 2020, you might remember, that didn’t work. Since then, we’ve tried real hard to dial in the needs, get rid of the extras and try to do a better job of the design, and that’s what we’re looking at here tonight.”
If the bond is passed, the project would add 12 classrooms, eliminating the need for modulars, improve ADA accessibility, and allow for a larger CTE/Ag Shop. The project would also see a new multi-purpose area and cafeteria, as well as a larger gym entrance and connecting the gym to the school with a larger weight room and a girls wrestling room. The project, overall, promotes the safety of the students and staff.
The bond amount comes to a total of $17,975,000 and would result in a 17.9 cent levy. For properties valued at $75,000, the total impact would be $134.25 per year. To see how the bond would impact a property, people are encouraged to utilize the calculator located at www.hemingfordlegacybond.com. The bond is planned to be a 30-year bond.
“This is about our community. This is about our children here and their education,” said Kelly Miles, Architect with JEO Consulting Group, describing the project’s goals.
If the bond passes, there is plan to break ground on the project in May 2026, with construction expected to take 20 months.
“Regardless of however you vote, make sure your voice is heard,” said Miller. “This is democracy in action where a community makes a decision about what’s our future and where are we going as a community. We need your voice to know where we’re going as a community.”
