First in a three-part series
Every elementary school in the Hattiesburg Public School District has already seen at least an entire lifetime, opening their doors as early as 1949 at Woodley Elementary School. Renovations have not been made at elementary schools since an earlier bond issue was passed 15 years ago.
On Tuesday, May 22, voters in the school district will be asked to renew the 4.84-mill tax that will provide as much as $22.5 million to renovate and maintain the schools during a special election. The vote to continue the millage requires 60 percent approval.
HPSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Williams cannot legally ask residents to support the renewal, but he can talk about how the facilities – which includes the students, teachers and staff – are suffering without funds for maintenance and renovation.
“We did a facility condition audit of all of our facilities,” he said earlier this week during an exclusive interview. “We came up with somewhere in the neighborhood of $35 million-$40 million of repairs need in the district. But this particular bond issue is asking for a recurring millage that is currently on the books. It is estimated that it will bring in about $22.5 million.”
The League of Women Voters Pine Belt hope that voters will attend a Town Hall meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Jackie Dole Sherrill Community Center to learn more about the bond election. Hattiesburg Mayor Barker and Williams will be talking about what the school bond entails.
Williams said the bond is really the best way to generate funds for infrastructure improvements without using operational money. Woodley and Thames, which was built in 1963, are two schools that have not had since the renovation bond issue 15 years ago.
“Woodley Elementary School has structural repairs that are needed badly,” he said. “Districtwide, we would renovate, replace or install electrical and mechanical equipment, such as intercoms, fire alarms, upgrade restrooms, drainage and canopies, particularly at Thames Elementary. There are drainage and canopies that need repairing throughout the district.”
Mary Bethune Alternative Center was built in 1950, and its last addition was constructed in 1983. Hawkins and Rowan elementary schools were both built in 1951 and have had no renovation work since the 2002-03 bond issue.
The Central Office building, Camp, is the oldest building in the Hattiesburg Public School District. It was built in 1907. The school board room was renovated in 2006-07, while the Central Office Park was completed last year.
Lillie Burney was built in 1963 and, after the 2002-03 bond renovation, it received a portable classroom in 2007.
One school that Williams said needs improvement is Burger Middle School, which was built in 1999.
“Burger Middle School will have new classrooms and restrooms, with the possibility of moving the sixth-graders there,” he said. “That will give us a chance to consolidate some of the programs we have across the district. In all of that, we would want more community input before we made a final decision on that.”
Williams said in an earlier news conference the referendum gives voters the chance to keep their support for the schools.
“(They) will have the opportunity to continue their investment in our students and in our community through the passage of a no-tax-increase bond resolution,” he said. “The approved resolution will consist of several projects that were derived from feedback from the community as well as an audit of our facilities.”
Barker emphasized that the referendum will not raise taxes, instead asking residents within the school district to continue the current millage rate.
“We see this as an opportunity for our citizens to recognize Hattiesburg only go as far as the public schools will allow to re-engage with its public schools and to renew its commitment to its next generation by making this vote an easy vote,” he said. “Our school district, already on the path to improvement in fiscal responsibility, will have the resources to make overdue renovations, additions and repairs to our schools to ensure that our students have a 21st-century learning environment. This should be a slam dunk.”
Barker said the city will open one polling place for each of the school district’s five wards. The polling places are:
• Ward 1 - Highlands Precinct, Cornerstone Baptist Church on West Seventh Street.
• Ward 2 - Train Depot.
• Ward 3 - Thames Elementary School.
• Ward 4 - Kamper Park Zoo.
• Ward 5 - Rowan Elementary School.
Anyone with any questions on where they vote in this bond renewal referendum can reach out to the Mayor’s Office (601) 545-4501.
The election commissioners who were recently appointed include Akbar Shaheed (Ward 1), Irene Williams-Jones (Ward 2), Steve Willis (Ward 3), Tim Phalen (Ward 4) and Kimberly-Joy Miri (Ward 5). Their terms are from March 20, 2018, until June 30, 2021.
