As a current employee and graduate of the New Bloomfield R-III School District, Brenda Maddox said she knows first hand how badly the district needs certain facility repairs.
"I work at the school and I know some of the problems with the heating and cooling system that we're having," Maddox said. "We had to bring in our own personal heaters to heat our classrooms. I know the heating system definitely needs to be repaired. The guys have done a wonderful job of basically "putting band-aid' fixes, but that's not going to help in the long run. It's going to cost more and more each year with these little fixes."
Maddox works in the district as a paraprofessional, also known as a teacher's aid. She said cold weather this winter prevented the district's maintenance employees from being able to repair the heating system.
Seeing these problems and feeling invested in the community are what led Maddox to volunteer as the president of the New Bloomfield Proposition KIDS (Keep Improving District Schools) election committee. The committee will work to educate community members about the $2 million no-tax-increase bond issue, which the school board voted to put on April's ballot. If passed, the bond issue will fund facility repairs. The committee will promote the bond issue from now until election day.
When the committee met for the first time this week, the district's superintendent, David Tramel, said it elected leadership and began to strategize the best ways disseminate information to New Bloomfield voters.
The committee meeting this week also dedicated time to educating committee members - making them experts on the bond issue and how funds will be used if voters approve it through this April.
"The committee members will be looked upon for answers within the community," Tramel said. "They are going to be our point people for this. We spent some time explaining to them the concept that - yes, we are going to be borrowing money or selling bonds to finance the project, but it would not have an effect on our tax rate."
If voters approve the bond issue, it will fund the replacement of HVAC units and make major parking lot repairs. Maddox said the parking lot, a costly repair project, has a lot of pot holes that need repair. The bond issue, if approved, could also fund some additional facility repairs in the district, should money allow.
Maddox said the committee had a great deal of support at its first meeting this week.
"We would like to get as many people in the community involved in this project," Maddox said.
Tramel said about eight or 10 people came to the first meeting to work with the committee. The group started getting information ready to use on social media as well as in the community newsblaster. Committee members also discussed community groups they would like to visit to share why they feel the bond issue is important for the district.
Maddox, her husband and two children all attended New Bloomfield schools. Maddox said she has lived in the community all her life and wanted to volunteer her time with the committee to give back.
The election committee will meet again at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the community room of the district's Central Office building. Maddox said anyone interested in joining the committee and volunteering their time is welcome to attend.
Megan Favignano can be reached at (573)826-2417 or [email protected].