INOLA, Okla — The Inola community will vote on a $60 million school bond proposed by Inola Public Schools on Nov 18.
Early voting started Nov 13.
According to Superintendent Jeff Unrau, the bond is aiming to help students study more efficiently, as overcrowding has become an issue.
“We're just totally out of classrooms," he said. "Our faculty, our elementary administration, and our elementary teachers and faculty just do a great job of maintaining what we can do.”
Superintendent Unrau said fifth-grade students have had to be moved to the high school building, with many students already having to study in portable trailers.
He also said there are a few other things the school would have to focus on building.
“With new state law, there's a storm shelter that would come with that construction, and a PE facility, a kitchen and a cafeteria," said Unrau.
He also said it won't be cheap, taking a toll on taxpayers.
“Up to 10% tax rate increase, and so, yes, it would impact our taxpayers," he said. "We are aware of that and respectful of that, we know it’s an ask.”
Unrau said this tax increase could last for up to about 18 years, but it could change.
Rosalie Griffith said she's lived in Inola for 55 years and she used to be on the chamber board herself.
In fact, she said she helped pass the school bond that built the district’s high school.
She’s fully on board with the bond.
"Just look around at our current school, and if you can't see that it needs to be improved, or we need a new school building, then you need to come and visit the school and take a tour of it," said Griffith. “I think some people, talk about their taxes increasing, but our assessor comes around every year or so, and my taxes go up and without any notice. I don't have any vote on it.”
She also said even though she's retired and on a fixed income herself, she thinks the bond is worth the changes that could take place.
“Our administrators and our school board members would not have asked for this bond issue if it wasn't essential for our children and our community's future, I think it's just going to benefit all of us," she said. “The community has grown, and it's going to continue to grow, whether we want it to or not. So I think it's important that we all stay involved and let it grow the way we want it to, and not let someone else grow it for us.”
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