April 2023 Ballot Issue FAQs

Please check back for additional updates to our frequently asked questions. Updated on March 14, 2023.

 

Q: How much is the district's No-Tax-Levy-Increase Bond Issue asking the community to vote on?

A: Approximately $47 million to spend in total on everything. 

 

Q: What happens if the Bond issue doesn’t pass?  

A: Capital improvements (roof repairs, HVAC, classroom additions to house the increasing enrollment, and safety/security needs, etc ) will need to be put on hold, or the district will be forced to use Operating funds (money used for educating students and paying teachers and staff) to take care of the Capital improvements.  

 

Q: Is there a copy of the ballot?
A: Christian County has sample ballots listed on its website. To view sample ballots, Click Here.

 

Q: Who can vote in school elections?

A: One of the main questions we have been receiving is who can vote on school elections involving no-tax-levy-increase bond issues and school board candidates. In order to vote on any election item involving the school district, you only need to live within the school district boundaries, the boundaries of the school district extended beyond the city limits of Nixa.  If your child attends Nixa Public Schools, you should live within the boundaries of the school district, which means you can vote on items involving the school.  To see the school district boundaries, Click Here.

 

Q: Where will the funding come from?

A: The district’s current Debt Service Levy is adequate to make the principal and interest payments on the General Obligation Bonds.  There will not be an increase to the current tax rate levy of NPS.

 

Q: How is the tax levy calculated on my property?

A: Taxes are calculated on the assessed value of your home, not the market value (or what you paid for it).  You should look at your property tax receipt to determine the actual assessed value.

 

Q: What is the current levy and what would it be if the Bond Issue passes or fails?

A: The tax-levy will not change from its current rate of $4.5091 if the Bond Issue passes or fails. 

 

Q: How does a Bond Issue protect money spent on students and teachers & support staff salaries?

A: General Obligation bonds provide funds for capital improvements so that a district does not have to use their Operating Funds (money used for educating students and paying teachers and staff) on such improvements. 

 

Q: How will additional activities space at the high school and junior high give us additional classroom space?

A. We are currently using classroom space for athletics and activities.  By moving the activities and athletics to spaces that are multi-purpose spaces, we are able to make those classrooms.  We can also design the spaces for multiple activities so they can be used in a variety of ways.  For example, our archery program, JROTC classes, and drone team are being held in a classroom and students have to rotate in and out of the halls and classroom. By adding multi-purpose spaces for academics, activities, and athletics, we can take the classrooms that are currently being used for activities and athletics and turn them back into academic classrooms.

 

Q. There seems to be a focus on activities and even athletics.  Why is that?

A: The division of the projects is actually about ⅓ for activities and athletics additions and renovations, ⅓ for classroom space additions and renovations, and ⅓ for district maintenance, tech upgrades, and bus purchases along with other things for the upkeep of the district.  We are working to plan for the future by making room now for classrooms, activities and athletics, and programs we will need in the future.

In a survey this fall, 77% of parents wanted more athletic options for their children and 85% wanted more club and activity options.  We don’t have the space to offer these, so part of this project addresses current needs and also lets us start to plan for the future.

 

Q: When will the projects be completed?

A: If passed, they would be completed over the next three years.

 

Q: When is the election?

A: Election Day is on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.

 

Q: Are we going to continue to have one high school?

A:  The district is working to keep one high school for at least the next 20 years.  With the purchase of the 38 acres next to the high school campus, we can expand that building and the facilities on that campus to handle the growing population for many years in the future.

 

Q: How is the expansion at the high school going to affect parking?

A:  We are going to try to add parking as much as we can.  There would be additional parking on the high school campus by the multi-purpose building, and we also have plans for additional parking spaces on the south side of the high school if funding allows.

 

Q: What % does it take to pass a bond issue?

A: A bond issue must have more than 57% in yes votes.

 

Q.  Why doesn’t the district ask for more bond money to take care of all of the maintenance projects?

A.  The state of Missouri limits how much the district can ask for (15% of assessed value of the property in the district).  Our needs are more than we can ask for, so we are dividing the needs over several years so we can expand buildings and perform maintenance a little at a time.  We can’t do it all at once, so we will do a little at a time.

 

Q: When is the last day to register to vote?

A: The last day to register to vote is Wednesday, March 8, 2023. For information on how to register to vote, Click Here.

 

Q: Why were these projects selected?

A: These projects help us have a balance of preparing for future growth while also helping us handle the current number of students in the district and the maintenance the buildings need.  Most of our buildings were constructed between 15-30 years ago.  Just like a house, they have needs as they age.  We want to balance current needs and future needs in this bond and future ones so we can address the past construction and continue to expand as needed.

 

Q: What is the cost for each project?

A: The costs for each project are approximate and will not be finalized until bids are received.  We would have approximately $47 million dollars to spend in total on everything.  If bids come in lower, then we can do more with the money.  If bids come in higher, then we can do less.  

 

Q: What will the school district do if bids come in higher than anticipated?

A: Contractors submit bids on architectural plans that contain various options that can be added to or deleted from any project.  This allows the base project to be completed, regardless of costs going up or down and for the addition of more things as funding allows.