Board approves issuing bonds

The board of trustees for San Jon Municipal Schools during a 14-minute special meeting Sept. 3 approved issuing about $130,000 in educational bonds to help pay for technology improvements in the district.

Superintendent Janet Gladu said in a telephone interview Wednesday about $100,000 of that will be used to update or purchase district computers, teacher computers, servers and teacher Promethean boards. About $30,000 will be used to pay for fees and other expenses for the bonds.

Gladu said the bonds would not result in any changes in property-tax rates, and they would be paid off in two to three years.

The board passed the bond issuance unanimously.

She said the district should receive the money by late October, and she hopes to have the updates and equipment installed by Thanksgiving.

Gladu said the district accepted a bid through Cooperative Educational Services for the upgrades and computers.

Gladu said a special meeting was necessary because of the “strange” time frame to obtain the bonds. The previous regular meeting in August would have been too early, and the board’s next meeting later this month would have missed a deadline for the bonds.

She said the district uses old computer equipment that needs upgrades, as well.

Voters in the school district also will decide Nov. 5 on an $800,000 general-obligation bond package for repairs to school buildings and facilities. If passed, those bonds also would not lead to any increases in property taxes, she said.