CCSD To Hold Three Millage Meetings

RISON - The Cleveland County School Board decided Monday night to have three community meetings to provide information about the proposed 6-mill tax increase that will support construction of a new gym at the Rison School campus.In addition, Superintendent Davy King said the Cleveland County Election Commission has decided to use the Hall-Morgan Veterans Building at Rison, Kingsland Missionary Baptist Church and the New Edinburg Community Center as polling sites for the Nov. 18 millage election.After finishing up a relatively short regular monthly school board meeting, board member Sheila Towery asked if there were any plans to start getting the word out about the upcoming millage election and explaining it to voters. She suggested holding some local meetings to explain it in person, much like the district did when former Superintendent Craig Dupuy first proposed a millage increase in 2021.In August, the school board unanimously approved asking voters for a 6-mill tax increase to fund construction of a new gym estimated to cost about $12 million.King told Towery that he did not think those 2021 meetings were very effective, but was open to holding them again. Towery and fellow board member Helen Browning-Grice both suggested that the board have them.Towery explained that some of the people she has visited with about the millage had some technical questions like how much the district owes on its existing bonds, what those bonds were for, the exact square footage of the new gym, and more. She said she felt those questions could best be answered in person.On that, King asked the school board members to get some questions that patrons may have about the millage so he can pass along that information during the meetings. He said he would like to have an idea of what people want to know rather than going in blindly.King also asked the school board members to take the lead on helping get the word out and setting up the mee...