Voters in the Atlantic Community School District will head to the polls tomorrow (Tuesday), to decide the fate of a $9.5-million bond referendum for school improvements and safety upgrades. Absentee voting at the Cass County Auditor’s Office will be held up until 11-a.m. Tuesday, April 2nd. The polls will be open from Noon until 8:00 p.m., Tuesday. As of 10-a.m. today (Monday), 453 Absentee ballots had been cast at the Auditor’s Office, and many more were expected to be cast between now and 11-a.m. on Tuesday. The Polling places for Wards two and three and all remaining school district residents will vote at the Atlantic Public Library. Wards one, four and five will vote at the Heritage House.

If approved, the bond issue would provide for improvements to the Trojan Bowl, plus the district’s baseball and softball complex and tennis courts. Also proposed is a renovation of a roadway for smoother access to the elementary building, and connection to the high school. The bond issue requires 60% supermajority in order to pass.

The Resolution on the ballot asks: “Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District, in the Counties of Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness ans issue general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $9,500,000 for the purpose of furnishing, equipping, constructing, improving, repairing, and renovating school buildings and improving the sites thereof at the school district’s existing school buildings located in Atlantic, Iowa, including without limitation: (a) renovating, equipping and improving the football field/track/stadium, team building, concession and related buildings/site improvements, (b) renovating, equipping and improving  the softball/baseball fields and related buildings/site improvements, (c) constructing, relocating, equipping and improving tennis courts and related buildings/site improvements, and (d) improving and realigning a roadway for smoother access to the elementary school and connection to the middle school?”

If approved during the Special Election, the indebtedness of the district will be in excess of 1.25-percent of the assessed valuation of taxable property in the School District.