The Joplin Board of Education on Tuesday night authorized the sale of $62 million in bonds to help pay for the rebuilding of the schools destroyed in the 2011 tornado.
The board heard from Gregory Bricker, executive vice president at George K. Baum & Co., the underwriter on the district’s bonds. In April, voters passed the bond issue to go toward $185 million in rebuilding projects.
Bricker said the first bond sale will be conducted in the latter part of July.
The district will offer $35 million of the bonds in July and will release the remaining $27 million in the spring in time for payments on the new construction.
Paul Barr, the district’s chief financial officer, said that by selling the bonds in two segments, the district will save on interest.
Bricker said the district’s bond issue is one of the largest in the state this year, and his company will be working with local brokers to make up to 10 percent of the total bonds available for local investors. In the sale of $57 million in bonds for middle school construction projects in 2007, Bricker said, local investors accounted for about $2.5 million in purchases.
In an update on construction, a representative of Universal Construction, which is performing construction management for the rebuilding of the schools, told the board that the Irving Elementary and Joplin High School sites have tested negatively for lead contamination in the soil.
Dirt work at the East Middle School site may start today, and the bid packages for East Middle School will be brought before the board at its next meeting.
Dawn Sticklen, who was nominated by the board last week to fill a vacancy, was officially seated during the meeting. Sticklen is a freelance writer and co-owner of Sticklen and Crosthwait Law Firm. Her involvement in the Vote Hope campaign, which urged people to vote in favor of the $62 million bond issue in April, was a big factor in the board’s decision to nominate her, president Randy Steele said.
Superintendent C.J. Huff briefed the board on a recent trip to Washington, D.C., where he met with representatives from the United Arab Emirates and Swedish embassies. He also met with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
The board also made appointments for the 2012-13 school year. Barr will continue as the board’s treasurer. Patricia Waldo will be the new board secretary, and Terry Grace will be the new records custodian. They will succeed Tiny Bridges, who has served in both of those roles. Bridges is retiring.
The board’s next meeting is scheduled for July 24, with a work session at 5:30 p.m. and the regular session at 7 p.m. at the administration building, 3901 E. 32nd St.
Budget OK’d
THE JOPLIN SCHOOL BOARD on Tuesday night approved the district’s 2012-13 budget. It anticipates $155,809,548 in expenditures and projects revenues at $166,982,503.
May 2011 Joplin tornado
Joplin school board authorizes sale of district bonds
- May 2011 Joplin tornado
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Farmers Insurance teams up with Rebuild Joplin
Farmers Insurance announced Tuesday that the company will team up with Rebuild Joplin for an initiative to help the community complete its recovery efforts. The company already has placed one of its executives in Joplin, and it is pledging additional funds and volunteer hours by company workers to go toward the city’s recovery.
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SLIDESHOW: One year later, One day of unity, updated
Photos from a day of events commemorating the May 22, 2011 tornado anniversary
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Joplin man continues struggle to recover two years after tornado
As the Joplin tornado passed overhead, sweeping the house at 2430 S. Pennsylvania Ave. away in its wake, there was a moment of calm. Delbert Mcguirk was on his back in the basement, where he had sought shelter along with his wife, daughter and two grandchildren. In that moment of relative quiet, he stared up into the eye of the tornado.
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Storms cause damage throughout the Four States
Four-State Area residents hunkered down twice Monday to ride out tornadoes and powerful spring storms, then went to work cleaning up. The worst damage from Monday night’s storm was being reported in Ottawa County, Okla., near Wyandotte. That followed a report of an EF-1 tornado early Monday morning near Carthage.
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Two plead guilty to post-tornado wire theft
Two defendants pleaded guilty Monday to stealing copper wire from utility poles in the wake of the May 22, 2011, tornado that struck Joplin. Timothy M. Silveria, 45, of Joplin, and Nycoa K. Kracht, 32, of Laurel, Ind., entered open pleas of guilty in Jasper County Circuit Court to felony counts of theft from a public utility.
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FACES OF RECOVERY: 176,869 volunteers help put Joplin together again
They initially came in droves, pouring into Joplin by the thousands during the months following the May 2011 tornado to clear debris, clean up damaged homes and businesses and distribute donations of food, water, clothing and other necessities.
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Therapy dogs
Any question that Louie was bred to put people as ease is put to rest when the golden retriever trots over to where a visitor sits and puts his head on their knee, the dog’s eyes filled with a gentle affection.
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Nova Kluseman and Jeanne Morrow
Nova Kluseman has staked her claim on Wednesdays at the Mercy medical office clinics where she volunteers. The staff at Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri will know it’s Thursday when they see Jeanne Morrow walk through the door.
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Greentree Community Church
Every two months, Joplin plays host to some now-familiar faces. They’re members of Greentree Community Church in St. Louis, and they have “adopted” the city as one of their mission projects since the tornado.
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Virginia Laas
Virginia Laas isn’t an accountant or bookkeeper by trade. But when the tornado caused significant damage to Joplin Schools, and subsequently spurred a massive landslide of donations to the district, Laas voluntarily stepped into those roles to fill a need that administrators were too busy to handle.
- More May 2011 Joplin tornado Headlines
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