The Atlantic School Board and Administration is in what District Business Manager Mary Beth Fast called “the infant stages” of exploring the placement of a $23-million bond issue before the voters next year, to pay for improvements to the School District’s Buildings and Athletic facilities.

Fast told KJAN News she presented information before the Board during their meeting Wednesday night with regard to revenue and expenditure projections forecast out for one-year and a period of five-years. She says that’s enabled the District to address cash flow needs and the unspent authorized budget that puts them in a good position to propose a bond. (click on the left side of the audio bar to listen)

She said there three reasons having a $23-million bond wouldn’t affect the tax rate.

The Board would need to discuss the bond in the next few months, hold public hearings,  and have a special ballot issue next year, so that the bond, if approved, would be in-place for the 2017-18 school year. Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein, said Jerry Purdy, with the Design Alliance Architect firm appeared before the Board Wednesday night to recap their options with regard to the dire need for instructional space. Those options, as previously mentioned, include: Do nothing; Look at the individual building needs and address them separately, or, construct a new Middle School with a price tag of about $19-million.

The Board also has been discussing the District’s Athletic facilities.