Funds to be used for school construction and merger
Poll worker Lisa Poulson Cuts stickers at the Farmington Museum on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023.
Crystal Shelton
Voters in the Bloomfield school district are being asked to authorize the general bond in the Tuesday special election in hopes to erect a new junior high and combine classes from Central Primary and Naaba Ani Elementary in a new building.
If the bond is authorized, the district would issue up to $28 million of general obligation bonds for the purpose of erecting, remodeling, making additions to and furnishing school buildings, including teacher housing; purchasing or improving school grounds.
In a town hall presentation, the district noted that the total residential tax rate is $12.065 and has remained constant for more than five years.
According to the district website, the district utilizes two available funding sources, the two mill levy and the general obligation bonds.
In the Nov. 7 regular local election, the Bloomfield public school capital improvements tax was approved with 630 in favor and 474 against. (Alx Lee / Tri-City Record)
Alx Lee
In the Nov. 7 regular local election, the Bloomfield public school capital improvements tax was approved with 630 in favor and 474 against.
General obligation bonds are used for building construction, repair and maintenance. They can also be used for technology and software.
Bonds authorized in the past were used for the construction of a high school, elementary school classroom additions, HVAC installation and roof repair.
According to the 2024 New Mexico Condition Index, Central Primary, Naaba Ani Elementary, and Mesa Alta Junior High were all given a ranking that signified necessity in repair or replacement.
“The closer a school is to the No. 1 spot, the more necessity for that building to be replaced,” said Superintendent Kevin Summers. “Additionally, schools in the top 100 are eligible for matching capital funds from the Public Schools Facility Authority.”
The new elementary will house grades 1-5, reducing the number of transitions throughout their academic career, the district said in their town hall presentation.
Mesa Alta will have grades 6-8, with a focus on building robust relationships.
“The new elementary campus would be adjacent to the existing Mesa Alta campus, meaning that students will remain at the same physical campus from grade 1 through 8,” according to the district presentation.
The district has no intention of building teacher housing or a new football stadium with the funds rather the intention is to replace the schools of Central Primary, Naaba Ani Elementary and Mesa Alta Junior High, Summers said.
At the Aug. 13 school board meeting, Summers addressed the mail-in election and the efforts made by the district to inform the public.
One of those efforts was a parent meeting at Blanco Elementary in which 40 parents attended and asked questions to cabinet members.
Summers said the parents were supportive of the bond and hopes to see it approved on Tuesday.
If the bond is not approved, the district will not continue with plans of constructions.
“Instead, funds generated from taxes would only be used to fund District education technology needs,” Summers said.
According to Summers, the last general obligation bond was passed in 2009 for $35 million.
“Currently, the district still has about $6.3 million in outstanding debt from that bond; however, because the District is in a strong economic position it is able to pay it off now, before it comes due,” Summers said “As a result, the District is asking voters to authorize another $28 million in bonds to offset the debt we are ready to pay off. That’s one of the reasons why the tax rate won’t be affected.”