Choctaw-Nicoma Park residents vote YES
By Ryan Horton
Choctaw Times
Proposition No. 1 of the special election asked residents to approve $273,595,000 of new indebtedness to be used for districtwide improvements. The vote went 2,855 to 941 for a 75.21 percent approval.
Voters show overwhelming support of new school bonds
Voters of the Choctaw-Nicoma Park School District showed overwhelming support for new bond issues aimed at districtwide improvements.
After the first precinct reported results, support of the new school bonds was over 75 percent and that percentage remained as final results trickled in Feb. 8.
Proposition No. 1 of the special election asked residents to approve $273,595,000 of new indebtedness to be used for districtwide improvements.
The vote went 2,855 to 941 for a 75.21 percent approval.
Officials say the bond approval will benefit every existing class, student group, organization and sports team in the district, while preparing for new students that are expected to arrive in unprecedented numbers.
Several major improvements, including two new elementary schools, are now planned to be complete in coming years.
Proposition No. 2 requested approval of another $9 million which will be used for a new bus fleet.
That proposition passed 2,804 to 1,018. With 73.36 percent of the vote the second proposition also passed.
Voters had last approved a bond in 2008 that allowed the district to begin improving facilities.
Two new schools and seven major renovation projects resulted from that bond approval.
With the passing of new bonds, the district will be able to maintain the progress made in recent years, while maintaining the existing tax rate on property owners throughout the district.
Bond issues require at least 60 percent support to pass, and district officials were happy to see continued overwhelming support in CNP.
“We are humbled and blessed to serve a community that is highly invested in the school system. Your support on today’s bond election signifies the overwhelming community support for our students and school system. This vote will allow us to provide all of the facilities, equipment, etc. that have been proposed. We want to provide accountability to the patrons of the CNP District and will maintain the bond webpage with updates on the projects as they come to life. In addition, the annual school audits are posted on our webpage and covers money spent on bond projects as well as those from the general account. These audits are available for the last seven years on our business and finance page,” said David Reid, CNP Superintendent.
“As I listen to music, certain songs stick out for their lyrics and how they apply at certain times. I recently heard the song ‘We Belong to Each Other’ by Garth Brooks. There is a lyric that goes: ‘We’re all leaves on the same tree.’ That’s how I view this community and the school district. In one of the promotional videos I stated, ‘The district wouldn’t be what we are without the community and the community wouldn’t be what they are without the schools.’ I completely stand by that statement. We live in a divisive world of political unrest, COVID fatigue, social media rants, etc. However, as in the words of the song, ‘we belong to each other.” Thank you again for your support! We look forward to the getting the process started with our architects.”
A group of Choctaw-Nicoma Park students gather the day after the election to show their thanks to school bond supporters. (PHOTO PROVIDED)
More about the CNP Bond can be found on the district website.
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