Petition Signatures Still Being Collected for $30 Million CCHS Bond Referendum
Efforts to secure enough signatures for a petition to put a bond referendum before voters this fall, to fund up to $30 million in renovations, upgrades and improvements to Charles City High School, has passed the two-thirds mark.
The campaign was launched in mid-July and, as of Monday (08.04), Superintendent Brian Burnight said 450 signatures had been collected. That puts them at about 72% of the needed 621 signatures, but about 300 short of the goal of approximately 750 names.
The petition to get the bond referendum on the November 4th ballot must be submitted to the Floyd County Auditor’s office by noon, September 19th.
Passage of the bond will require a 60% supermajority YES vote.
A $27 million bond referendum failed to pass in November 2023, with almost a third of the money targeted for a new performing arts auditorium. Burnight says the latest bond referendum looks to address basic needs, such as improved security, becoming more ADA compliant, and increasing fire safety.
The project is also to be completed in two phases, with a performing arts center, reduced in size and scope from two years ago, to be included in Phase 2.
Language of the petition being circulated is included below.
Shall the Board of Directors of the Charles City Community School District in the Counties of Chickasaw and Floyd, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $30,000,000 to provide funds for completing needed upgrades including but not limited to safety, security systems, building code and ADA requirements by removing portions of the existing High School building and reconstructing, building, furnishing and equipping additions, including related remodeling and site improvements; and to remodel, renovate, improve, repair, furnish, and equip other portions of the existing High School?
