PROPOSED CAREER TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL - This artist rendering by Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects of Little Rock shows the new Career Technology Center that would be built on the Woodlawn High School campus using revenue generated by the 2-mill tax increase. The proposed 9,900 square foot building would house the family and consumer science classes as well as possible classes related to specific career fields like business, banking and nursing. The proposed location for the new building is the north side of the student parking lot next to the football field. In addition, the Woodlawn School District would use money from the millage increase to expand the school cafeteria by 3,453 square feet. In addition to providing more space for students during lunch, the addition could also provide a second serving line as well as make upgrades in the kitchen area. Both the career center and cafeteria expansion are being considered for state “partnership funding,” which pays 70 percent of what the state estimates the projects would cost. (Photo courtesy Woodlawn School District)
Election Is May 13; Tax Would Support New Career Center, Cafeteria Expansion
RISON - Voters in the Woodlawn School District will be deciding the fate of a 2-mill tax increase request from the district when they head to the polls May 13 for the annual school election.
In addition, voters will be deciding between three candidates running for one of five at-large seats on the Woodlawn School Board. The candidates included current school board member Larry Reynolds along with Trevaughn Moore and David White.
Since Woodlawn is an at-large district, that means every registered voter residing within the boundaries of the school district is eligible to vote in all school board races.
Early voting for the election begins this Tuesday, May 6, at the Hall-Morgan Veterans Building, 404 Sycamore Street across from the Cleveland County Courthouse in Rison. Early voting will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays through Monday, May 12. There will be no Saturday voting.
On election day, which is Tuesday, May 13, there will be three polling locations within the district open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Votes can be cast at Pleasant Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, 3833 Rodgers Road West near the Randall community; Center Missionary Baptist Church, 12270 Hwy. 63 in the Rowell community; and Union United Methodist Church, 21230 Hwy 35 South in the Rye community.
The Woodlawn School Board unanimously approved a motion last October to place the millage question on the ballot. The district is asking to restructure its existing debt and seek a 2-mill tax increase to support construction of a new career center at the high school as well as expand the school cafeteria, among other projects.
Woodlawn High School Principal T.J. Hill said in an interview for the Free Range Conversations podcast that the new career center building will house the high school’s family and consumer science (home economic) classes as well as possibly other related to business and healthcare.
To listen to Hill’s full interview on the Free Range Conversations podcast, the episode is streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and clevelandcountyherald.com below.
The district’s original plans for the career center was for a 9,891 square foot building while the cafeteria expansion was for an additional 3,453 square foot of space. In previous meetings, the school board discussed building the career education center north of the high school parking lot near the football field
“We are looking at possibly adding, in the future, a business or banking course that we would partner up with local businesses, banks to potentially teach kids banking skills if they wanted to go down that career path,” Hill said.
In addition, Hill said he is part of an economic development group affiliated with the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus at Crossett, and he would like to use the new building to partner with UAM-Crossett to provide classes for industrial manufacturing and nursing.
He said the school could also offer concurrent college classes through the career center that could put students in position to receive their licensed practical nurse (LPN) or at least a certified nursing assistant (CNA) certification before graduating high school.
As for the cafeteria expansion, Hill said it would provide extra space for students during lunch and possibly allow for a second serving line. He said the renovations would also include expanding the kitchen area.
Hill also pointed out that the expanded cafeteria would provide more public seating for those attending programs put on by the school.
In the interview, Hill mentioned other projects that could possibly funded through the millage request including upgrading the playground surface and adding new equipment, provide for additional parking on campus, upgrade school security, improve internet and networking infrastructure, and update the septic system.
Partnership Funding
Superintendent Dr. Kevin Hancock said in a previous interview that a portion of the construction cost for the career building and cafeteria project could funded through the state partnership program.
The Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation notified Woodlawn last September that its proposed career center and cafeteria expansion projects had been accepted into the partnership program. Under the partnership program, the state pays a portion of the construction cost based on the district’s wealth index. For Woodawn, the state pays for about 70 percent of what it estimates the cost of a project will be.
While Woodlawn has been accepted into the partnership program, the funding is awarded separately on a competitive basis with projects submitted by other districts. The state usually reveals which projects will be funded on May 1.
Millage Increase
The 2-mill tax increase proposed by the district would be applied to patron’s real and personal property taxes. Restructuring the district’s existing debt essentially means taking on additional debt and extending the length of repayment of that debt at the same yearly payment.
Jason Holsclaw of Stephens, Inc., the district’s financial adviser, told the Woodlawn School Board last year that the plan would generate $3.85 million for the district.
As for what the proposed tax increase will cost taxpayers, Holsclaw calculated each additional mill would cost about $20 per year for every $100,000 in assessed value. Therefore, a 2-mill increase for property assessed at $100,000 would be $40 more per year; a $200,000 value would be $80 more per year; a $300,000 value would be $120 more per year; and etc.
Should the millage be approved, residents would see the new millage rate on their tax bills starting in 2026
Woodlawn’s current tax rate is 37 mills, which includes the state-mandated 25 mills for maintenance and operations, and another 12 mills for debt service.
That total of 37 mills ranks near the bottom when compared to other school districts in the region. The only districts with lower millage rates than Woodlawn are Sheridan (36 mills) and Hampton (36.7 mills). Neighboring Star City is at 37 mills as well.
The neighboring Cleveland County School District has a rate of 38.10 mills while Fordyce is at 38.5 mills. The highest millage rates are at Pine Bluff (47.7 mills) and Poyen (46.7 mills).
If voters approve the 2-mill increase, 25 mills would remain for maintenance and operations while 14 mills would be for debt service.
Stephens reported that one mill in the Woodlawn School District generates about $34,113 per year in revenue assuming a 95 percent tax collection rate. Therefore, a 2-mill tax increase would generate an additional $68,226 per year to help pay for the new projects.
Hancock pointed out that the district is currently servicing two debts, one from 2015 that will sunset in 2026 and another from 2019 that will sunset in 2029. He noted that the district was going to have ask for an extension to the 2015 debt service in about a year but the millage request on this year’s ballot will address that need.