March 19, 2024

Bond committee makes plans to deliver message

Focus on public events, signage, social media all are priorities

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With slightly more than two months to go until its election, the Newton Community School District’s bond committee is gearing up for its final stretch.

The committee, comprised of about 30 educators and community members, met Wednesday at the E.J.H. Beard Administrative Center to discuss dozens of facets of getting the word out to the community about the upcoming Sept. 13 special election, and its efforts to encourage voters to give a general obligation bond its required 60 percent approval.

Having already met as subcommittees, the 17 committee members who were present discussed the tasks ahead of them in the months ahead. One of those tasks will be to march with a banner in Monday’s Newton Fourth of July parade and to host a booth on the courthouse square afterward, reminding the public about the election and making themselves visible to anyone who has questions about the bond and the tax increase it would bring.

There was also discussion about a wide range of topics, ranging from the website and Facebook page devoted to the bond to plans for yard signs and letters to the editor.

Several members of the committee pointed out an important aim of the committee is to answer questions and clear up any confusion about the bond.

“I think it’s important for us to be able to get the levy information out to the public,” said committee member Fran Henderson.

According to the committee's website, preservethepride.com, the bond would only raise the tax levy on a $100,000-valuation property by $8 per year.

Among other efforts, there will be yard signs ordered, a display case utilized at the Newton Public Library for bond information, appearances at the two NHS football home games that take place before Sept. 13, and appearances by committee members to speak about the bond at organizational meetings, such as Kiwanis or Rotary.

“Those football games — that’s really where we could really reach a lot of people,” committee chair Craig Armstrong said.

The committee also addressed negative feedback about the bond, including a recent letter to the editor that encouraged the board and the district to curtail spending.

Public relations consultants Sara Opie and Jeff Huggins were hired by the district to help assist with bond campaign, and members of the committee planned to call them Wednesday night after the meeting. Opie recently worked with the Prairie City-Monroe district’s successful passage of a $10 million bond issue with a 69 percent approval. Newton is her fourth school bond campaign.

Newton Superintendent Bob Callaghan and NCSD School Board Vice President Travis Padget both were at Wednesday’s meeting. Both pointed out their limitations in terms of not being permitted by state law to advocate publicly for passage of the bond, or to use school or board resources to do work for the committee.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com