Members of the USD 470 board of education in Ark City Monday voted to put a bond issue question on the ballot in November.
Full details about specific projects, taxes and voting will be released soon, district spokesperson Alisha Call said. Voters will be asked to consider two bond options meant to help fund school safety and building improvements.
Plans are for the bond question to be on the Nov. 4 general election ballot when city commission and school board races are decided.
Voters could choose one or none of the following:
Option 1
● Funds major improvements at Arkansas City Middle School, including additions, renovations, safety upgrades, and updated infrastructure
● Provides districtwide upgrades to HVAC systems, roofing, technology, and controlled entries at select sites
Option 2
● Everything in Option 1
● Plus a new 9-classroom Pre-K Center to support early learning and free up space in elementary schools.
The Courier Traveler reports that preliminary estimates for option 1 are for a $53.3 million bond project paid over 25 years that includes $27.5 in additions and renovations at the middle school, $1.9 million for a data center and IT support, $800,000 for a controlled entrance at Adams Elementary and $2 million for a controlled entrance at Roosevelt Elementary.
Option 1 also calls for $4.5 million in roof replacements and $11.7 million in HVAC and temperature control upgrades across the district.
Option 2 is the same, but includes a new, $12.5 million Pre-K center for nine classrooms. That raises the total costs to $67 million.
“We are very mindful of the impact school funding decisions have on our taxpayers,” USD 470 Asst. Superintendent William Pfannenstiel said in a written statement from the school district. “We just paid off the previous bond 3.5 years early, dropping the Bond and Interest mill rate from 11.469 to 7.270 and saving taxpayers around $4 million.”
Pfannenstiel said for the 2026 budget year, there will be no bond and interest levy, resulting in lower property taxes. For example, a home valued at $100,000 would save about $69.35 compared to the current year. If the new bond is approved, the tax rate would return to roughly the 2024 level of 11.469 mills in 2027.
“These projects are about more than just buildings; they’re about creating safe, modern spaces where students can learn,” said Pfannenstiel. “By acting now, we can meet current and future needs without higher long-term costs.”
