Gravette board approves bond application for high-school addition, authorizes short-term fund transfer and technology upgrade

The Gravette School District Board of Education voted on multiple financial and capital items at its March meeting, including a motion to submit a permit to issue $5,140,000 in construction bonds for a high-school addition designed as a storm-rated shelter with classroom space. The board also authorized the business manager to temporarily transfer up to $350,000 from the building fund to general operating cash and approved district technology purchases and several grants.

The board moved to submit a bond permit and related documents to the Arkansas State Department of Education and to employ Beardsley as fiscal agent; the motion included authorization for the superintendent to accept or reject the best bids in consultation with the fiscal agent. District presenters and the board framed the project as a six-classroom addition that would double as a hardened storm-shelter structure and would increase high-school capacity as the district anticipates 50 to 80 additional students in coming years. A Crossland Construction representative who reviewed comparable projects said schematic estimates for the options discussed ran in the $4 million to $5 million range; when built as a storm-rated shelter with finished classrooms and a matching exterior, the work is among the more expensive square footage the district will build.

Crossland representatives described the facility as a hardened, storm-rated structure with reinforced concrete walls and specialized ventilation; the district’s design target is to provide shelter capacity for roughly 700–800 people (using building corridors and classrooms). Crossland gave a preliminary schedule estimate: 3–4 months for design, about a month for bidding, and 8–10 months for construction once contracts are awarded, with the caveat that schematic pricing can shift during the preconstruction phase.

On financing, the board approved a motion to submit the bond permit for $5,140,000 and employ Beardsley as fiscal agent. District staff said the financing window included a stated maximum interest ceiling (4.36% cited in related documentation) but that the actual rate will depend on market bids. Board materials and discussion noted that the package could fund six classrooms and selected paving projects around the middle school; the board retained flexibility to phase paving if necessary to keep the project within budget.

To smooth cash-flow timing before property-tax receipts arrive in April and May, the board also authorized the business manager to temporarily transfer up to $350,000 from the building fund to general operating cash until property taxes are received. Staff presented cash projections showing a low point in late March; board members approved the transfer authorization and asked staff to use it only as needed.

Other financial and capital actions approved at the meeting included: purchase of 225 wireless access points (APs) from White River for $179,191.67 with license/after-rate discounts resulting in a license cost of $53,757.50 (to be paid from student-growth or technology funds); approval of several school overnight trips (FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, Arkansas State Science and Engineering Fair); and adoption of ASBA model policy updates as presented.

The meeting also included federal- and curriculum-related grant announcements: the district received a school-safety grant for approximately $139,000 to fund portable metal detectors, two-way radios, fence repairs, camera upgrades, AED replacements and CSSO training; and a $57,500 grant to expand the Leader in Me program to the middle and high school over a three-year implementation.

Board discussion of bonds and the addition emphasized the district’s enrollment growth in eighth and ninth grades and the urgency of adding classroom and storm-shelter capacity. Staff said the board would publish required notices and that final bond terms would be set after bidding; the board instructed staff to proceed with the permitting and sale process in consultation with the fiscal agent.

Ending: The board authorized staff to proceed with bond permitting and preconstruction steps for a storm-rated high-school addition, approved short-term cash-transfer authority to cover a late-March low point, and advanced technology and grant-funded purchases; final financing and construction timelines will depend on market bids and preconstruction design work.