The St. Bernard Parish School Board announced Tuesday that it will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. July 22 at the school board office, 200 East Saint Bernard Highway in Chalmette, to consider a resolution calling a special election in November to renew a maintenance ad valorem tax for School District No. 1.

The hearing is the first formal step the board must take to place a renewal of its buildings-and-grounds maintenance millage before voters. School staff described the action as part of the routine 10-year renewal process for the maintenance millage the district uses to fund building upkeep.

The notice read by staff sets the hearing date and location and says the board will consider “ordering and calling a special election” for School District No. 1 of the Parish of St. Bernard. Board members did not debate the substance of the millage during the announcement; staff said the July hearing will give the public an opportunity to comment before the board considers a resolution to call the election.

If the board votes at the July 22 meeting to call the election, the matter would appear on the November ballot for district voters to approve or reject. Details about the proposed millage rate, estimated revenues, and ballot language were not provided at Tuesday’s meeting and were described as part of the upcoming hearing materials.

The board read the hearing notice during its regular monthly meeting June 24; the district's administrative staff identified the hearing date and location and said the renewal is scheduled in keeping with the district’s decennial millage renewal practice.