Clovis school district to hold special election on bonds

CLOVIS — The Clovis school district will hold a special election in February to renew $10 million in general obligation bonds, with the election proclamation approved Tuesday night by its board of education.

The election will be held by mail, with the Curry County Clerk’s Office reporting the results Feb. 16. It will be the district’s first such election since changes to election law took place in 2019. The Portales and Texico school districts have previously held successful elections through the process.

Art Melendres of the Modrall Sperling Law Firm told board members the bonds could be used for construction, technology or to match funds for capital outlay projects.

The district did not spell out any detailed plans for the money, but it is anticipated it will do so in the run-up to the election. Superintendent Renee Russ told the board promotional materials should be ready in December.

Jan. 19 is the final day to register for the all-mail election.

Board member Terry Martin said, “We’re going to have to work hard at promoting it,” and suggested several avenues. He said any social media posts should be accompanied by a paid boost, or the posts will only be seen by the people who were already inclined to vote for it. Board members said promotion was more important because having the schools in remote learning or hybrid learning meant the option of sending flyers home with kids wouldn’t be particularly effective.

Passage would not change property tax rates, but officials weren’t sure of how taxes would change should the measure fail.

“The district issues debt with average of 15 year maturities,” said Regina Gaysina of RBC Capital Markets. “The tax rate is not anticipated to change in the next few years if the district’s election doesn’t pass in 2021. However, if the district doesn’t pass another GO Election for the next 15 years the tax rate will gradually decline and eventually go to $0 once the debt is paid off.”

• The board approved a $59,000 supplement to CARES Act funding it previously received, with the money designated for providing Internet service for students that lack it. The district estimated about 200 students were in that situation.

• In a discussion-only item, board members reviewed the district’s Per Pupil Expense, which compiles all spending at each campus regardless of the source and divides by the total pupils. The highest PPE by far came from Los Ninos Early Intervention Center at $27,915.31, no surprise given its focus in helping preschool children who have developmental disabilities or delays. Other sites ranged between $8,284.21 (Mesa Elementary) and $11,900.69 (La Casita Elementary).

• Sara Williams, a liaison for Cannon Air Force Base, expressed her appreciation to the district for its level of communication with parents during constantly changing conditions due to COVID-19 infections and state directives. Russ said she appreciated the compliment, noting, “it’s been a day.”

• Board members thanked everybody for their work in a very trying time, with board member Shawn Hamilton adding, “We’ve evolved so much over these last few months. If you were to take this time in history a year ago and tell us all of the stuff we were going to endure, we’d all think whoever was telling us that was crazy.”

• The next board meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Dec. 15, a week earlier than the normal fourth-Tuesday scheduling due to the holiday week.