Voters to decide bond issue Aug. 5

Kemper County voters will go to the polls Thursday, August 5, to decide whether to approve a $12 million dollar bond issue for a new upper elementary school building.

The polls will be at the Kemper County Wildcat basketball gym and will be open for 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Schools superintendent Hulite Hudson pointed out in a recent meeting that the current upper elementary school building located in DeKalb was opened in 1961 and is 60 years old. He added that the district is constantly addressing issues with the heating and cooling system and with the roof leaking.

A community meeting will be held tonight at Anderson Ridge Church in Preston to discuss the proposed bond issue.

The district has planned to repay the bond money over a 20-year period. Hudson said by doing it this way, there would be no property tax increase.

“As far as I can tell, this has been very well received,” Hudson said, “People are asking questions and we are happy to answer them.”

The bond issue must receive 60 percent of the vote to pass. The proposed school would be located on land behind the basketball gym that is now used for the football field. It would be accessed from Oak Avenue with separate drive ways for cars and bus traffic.

Several people gave their opinions on the matter following a public meeting earlier this month.

“This is not about something we want; it is something we need for our children,’ said Joe Hulin. “It is needed for this community if we are going to build the workforce that we need.”

“I think this is something that is exciting for the kids of Kemper County,” said Mary Nell Woolei. “We need this for the children. I think the students will get excited about school if they have a brand new place to go.”

The building is drawn out where one day, it can be expanded to take in the lower elementary school grades K-2. nThose grades are now being housed in the old East Kemper school building in Scooba.