District changes informational meeting site
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
An informational session on the upcoming Greenland School District tax election that was scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. Thursday in Winslow instead will be held in nearby Brentwood.
Members of a volunteer committee developed by the Greenland Board of Education and concerned citizens met last week to set meetings and organize a millage information effort.
Board President Bill Groom said the time and date of the session has not changed. The venue was changed to the Brentwood Community Center, which borders U. S. 71, because the committee wasn't able to use the planned Winslow location.
The district is seeking a 2. 6-mill property tax increase to provide funds for operating expenses. The election will be held June 10.
In April, the Arkansas Department of Education declared the district in fiscal distress because of a declining balance and projected budget shortfall.
School officials have said that without the increase it will be difficult to improve the district's financial state and work itself off the fiscal distress list.
"We're just trying to educate the public on what we project will happen if it doesn't pass," Groom said. "The focus I'm going for is I want to focus on how this is going to affect the kids.... We better focus on what's going to happen in the immediate future and not the past."
Failing to work itself off the fiscal distress list within two years can lead to a takeover or forced annexation into another district.
"You don't know what the Department of Education is going to do," Groom said.
He noted the nearby West Fork and Fayetteville school districts have higher tax rates than Greenland's current levy of 36. 9 mills.
"If you vote for (the increase ), you control how much it goes up," Groom said.
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