Carmel School Board Ready to Offer Two Bond Props
By the time it’s all over, the Carmel Board of Education might never want to say or hear the word “bond” again, but for now, members continued to discuss putting up a new bond package for a third time in as many calendar years.
For the most part, it appeared the board is ready to offer two separate bond propositions to voters sometime next year. One of the bonds would fix failing roofs, make each school building ADA compliant and enhance the middle school library and another bond would move the transportation garage from George Fischer Middle School to a parcel of a property in the Town of Kent. The transportation garage option has been controversial with Kent town officials strongly opposing the proposal because the land would no longer be taxable if controlled by the school.
Almost every board member voiced support to break up the package offered to voters into two different bonds.
Vice president Richard Kreps said he wants to see the bus garage in one proposition and the other less contentious facility improvements grouped into another proposition when voters go to the polls next year, possibly in March. Kreps said the board should vote to offer the bonds to voters at the next meeting.
“They live or die on their own,” Kreps said.
Board member James Reese said while he’s in favor most of the upgrades, he isn’t convinced the bus garage should be moved to a different parcel. If the garage is put up to a vote, it should be a stand-alone proposal, Reese said. Board member John Cody said while he’s always wanted the bond to be one proposition, he’s willing to be a “team player” and see the bond broken into two options.
“It’s a totally different looking bond than the first two,” Cody said.
Board member John Curzio was again the only board member against the latest proposal. Curzio said the board has ignored the will of the people in the school community and the bus garage should not be offered again. He was in agreement with the other items though, calling them “critical.”
“The board unfortunately chose to place politics above the right thing to do for our community,” Curzio said, adding the board is acting like spoiled brats because they haven’t gotten their way. He added later in the meeting the board is in a “bubble.”
“Just take a deep breath,” board member Tara DeTurris said to herself following Curzio’s statement. She said she also supported the two separate propositions, but didn’t want to offer a baseball field that could be used by the Kent community if the new bus garage is approved.
“I’m not looking to give anything back to the Kent community right now,” DeTurris said. “I’m disgusted this is hurting our kids.”
Assistant Superintendent Eric Stark said the owner of the parcel in the Kent where the new bus garage could go would be willing to enter into another option agreement and is “very interested” in partnering with the school system. The price for the property could also drop by $500,000, Stark said.
To the surprise of no one, board president Greg Riley and Curzio butted heads once again, with Curzio arguing the district sent out incomplete information before last bond vote while Riley slammed Curzio for peddling false information. When Curzio said the rest of the board believes only opponents of the bond must be uninformed, Riley said the people that voted no weren’t uninformed, but simply had “false information.”
The meeting was filled with mostly supporters that want to see the bond package signed off. The school system has offered two bonds, but both have been voted down. One was shot down in Dec. 2017 and the other was rejected narrowly in Oct. 2018.
DeTurris, perhaps voicing how some of the community feels about the polarizing issue, wanted the discussion to come a close.
“There’s not a lot I care about, about this bond anymore, I’m disgusted,” DeTurris said. “I’ve had it. I’m ready to put it up for a vote and be done with it. I’m just absolutely disgusted.”
