Motion Carried:
Board member Tracey Priefert made a motion Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CASS COUNTY SCHOOL
DISTRICT 0056 (CONESTOGA PUBLIC SCHOOLS), IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, as
follows:
Section 1. The Board of Education finds and detennines that the School
District is fully organized and has been so organized for more than one year prior to
the passage of this Resolution as a Class III School District under Chapter 79,
Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, 2008, as amended, maintaining both
elementary and high school grades under the direction of a single Board of
Education and that the School District is embracing territory having a population of
less than 150,000 inhabitants.
Section 2.
is necessary:
The Board of Education hereby finds and determines that it
(a) that funds be provided for the purpose of paying the costs of
additions to and renovations of the existing junior-senior high school including
general classrooms, career and technical education classrooms, secure entrances,
fine arts, kitchen, commons, locker rooms, restrooms, stonn shelter, and a
multipurpose classroom! gymnasium, parking lot improvements and any additional
site work, additions to and renovations of the existing elementary school building
including a commons area, locker rooms, additional rest rooms, stonn shelter,
secure entrances, parking lot improvements and any additional site work, and
providing for necessary furniture and apparatus for such school buildings and
additions, and for such purposes it will be necessary to issue bonds in the total
principal amount not to exceed $39,900,000;
(b) that funds be provided for the purpose of paying the costs of
additions to and renovations of the existing elementary school building, consisting
of the early childhood education center, and providing for necessary furniture and
apparatus for such building and additions, and for such purposes it will be
necessary to issue bonds in the total principal amount not to exceed $6,270,000; and
(c) that a proposition for the issuance of bonds for such purpose has not
been submitted to the electors of this School District within six months preceding
the date of the election called by this resolution.
Section 3. A special election is hereby called and shall be held in the
School District on the 14th day of November, 2023, at which election there shall be
submitted to the qualified electors of said School District the following two
propositions:
Proposition A:
"Shall Cass County School District 0056 (Conestoga Public
Schools), in the State of Nebraska, issue the Bonds of said District
in the principal amount not to exceed Thirty-Nine Million Nine
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($39,900,000) for the purpose of paying
the costs of:
• Additions to and renovations of the existing junior-senior high
school including general classrooms, career and technical
education classrooms, secure entrances, fine arts, kitchen,
commons, locker rooms, restrooms, storm shelter,
multipurpose classroom/gymnasium, parking lot improvements
and any additional site work
• Additions to and renovations of the existing elementary school
building including a commons area, locker rooms, additional
rest rooms, storm shelter, secure entrances, parking lot
improvements and any additional site work
• Providing for necessary furniture and apparatus for such school
buildings and additions.
said bonds to be issued in one or more series, at such time or times
as may be determined by the Board of Education, to bear interest at
such rate or rates as may be. determined by the Board of Education
and to become due at such time or times as may be fixed by the
Board of Education; and
Shall the School District cause to be levied and collected annually a
special levy of taxes against all the taxable property in the School
District sufficient in rate and amount to pay the interest on and
principal of said Bonds as the same become due?"
Proposition B:
"Shall Cass County School District 0056 (Conestoga Public
Schools), in the State of Nebraska, issue the Bonds of said District
in the principal amount not to exceed Six Million Two Hundred
Seventy Thousand Dollars ($6,270,000) for the purpose of paying
the costs of additions to and renovations of the existing elementary
school building, consisting of the early childhood education center,
and providing for necessary furniture and apparatus for such
building and additions; said bonds to be issued in one or more
series, at such time or times as may be determined by the Board of
Education, to bear interest at such rate or rates as may be determined
by the Board of Education and to become due at such time or times
as may be fixed by the Board of Education; and
Shall the School District cause to be levied and collected annually a
special levy of taxes against all the taxable property in the School
District sufficient in rate and amount to pay the interest on and
principal of said Bonds as the same become due?"
The ballots to be voted upon and cast at said election shall have printed thereon the
foregoing propositions, followed by the words: "FOR said bonds and tax" and
"AGAINST said bonds and tax" following said propositions.
Section 4. Notice of said election shall be given to the qualified electors
of the School District for at least twenty (20) days prior to such election and a copy
of the sample ballot shall be published one time not more than ten (10) days nor
less than three (3) days prior to the election, such notice and sample ballot to be
published in a newspaper of general circulation in said School District and the
Secretary of the School District or Superintendent of Schools are hereby directed to
cause such notice and sample ballot to be published.
Section 5. The form of ballot and form of special notice of said bond
election shall be substantially in the form submitted to this meeting (with any
changes as may be necessary or advisable based on information provided by the
Cass County Election Commissioner or bond counsel), a copy of which forms shall
be made a part of the minutes of the meeting at which this resolution is adopted.
The Secretary of the School District or Superintendent of Schools are hereby
authorized and directed, in conjunction with the Cass County Election
Commissioner conducting the election, to arrange for the printing of the necessary
ballots for said election and to do all other things and take all other action
appropriate or necessary in order to cause said propositions to be submitted to the
qualified electors of the School District as provided herein. The Secretary of the
District or Superintendent of Schools shall furnish the final form of ballot to the
Cass County Election Commissioner not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date
of the special election.
Section 6. The election shall be conducted in accordance with Section
10-701 et seq., R.R.S. 2012, as amended, and the Election Act. Pursuant to Section
32-952 of the Election Act, if it is determined that such special election is to be
conducted by mail, then the Election Commissioner shall submit to the Secretary of
State of Nebraska a written plan for the conduct of the election on the question of
issuing the Bonds in accordance with the Election Act.
Section 7. The Secretary of the School District or Superintendent of
Schools each is authorized and directed to certify a copy of this Resolution to the
Election Commissioner of Cass County no later than September 22, 2023, which
Election Commissioner shall conduct the election as provided by law. The
School District does hereby agree to reimburse the Cass County Election
Commissioner for the expenses of conducting the election. Ballots for voting by
electors in counties other than Cass County shall be certified across county lines
and voted, counted and canvassed as provided by law. Not less than five days
prior to the election, or such earlier date as may be required by the Cass County
Election Commissioner, the Secretary of the School District or the Superintendent
of Schools shall certify to the Cass County Election Commissioner a list of all
registered electors of the School District in counties other than Cass County
qualified to vote on said propositions, if any.
Section 8. The Cass County Election Commissioner is authorized and
directed to make all necessary arrangements for submitting said propositions at
such election and to mail ballots to the registered voters as provided by law., seconded by Greg Page.
Members voting aye:
Ahrens: Yea, Kelley: Yea, Page: Yea, Priefert: Yea, Stone: Yea, Welch: Yea Yea: 6, Nay: 0 Motion Carried
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Seth Ahrens: Yea
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Allison Welch: Yea
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Jeremy Stone: Yea
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Candace Kelley: Yea
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Greg Page: Yea
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Tracey Priefert: Yea