RISON - Cleveland County School District Superintendent Davy King announced this week that the first of three community meetings to discuss the upcoming millage election will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, at the New Edinburg Community Center.On Sept. 2, the Cleveland County School Board unanimously approved a resolution to hold an election on Nov. 18 asking district patrons to approve a 6-mill tax increase to support construction a new gym and other improvements at the Rison School campus.King said the purpose of Monday's meeting is to provide information about the millage and answer any questions the public might have about it. The district plans to hold community meetings at Kingsland and Rison as well. The proposed millage, according to the Sept. 2 resolution, would fund the sale of $13.165 million in bonds. Of that, Jason Holsclaw of Stephens, Inc., the district's financial adviser, told the school board during an August workshop about $10.366 million of that amount would be available for construction while the remainder would restructure the district's existing bonds.In addition, the school district also intends to put $2.7 million in state partnership money toward the construction costs of the gym. While the district has been approved into the partnership program for the project, the Cleveland County School District has yet to receive the money though it is on the list. The Cleveland County School District's current millage rate is 38.1 mills: 28 mills for general maintenance and operations, and 10.1 mills for existing debt.Should voters approve the additional 6 mills, the total millage would be 44.1 mills with 28 mills remaining for maintenance and operations, 10.1 mills for existing debt service, and 6 mills for new debt service. The total of 16.1 mills for debt service would continue to be collected until the principal amount of $13.165 million is paid off over 32 years.Holsclaw told the school board during an Augus...
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