Impending Bond Issue
Tomorrow the people in the Heavener School district will decide on a new bond issue. The bond includes the following:
Two buildings in total. One multipurpose fitness facility with locker rooms, concession, two basketball courts, seating for 500, archery lanes, rock climbing wall, area for cheer sports, indoor track on the second floor, three classrooms/lab, and one bus maintenance barn/garage. The election is on February 11, 2020.
The facility includes areas of physical education, two regulation basketball courts, seating for 500 people, cheer practice area, and area to double and be used by our archery program. It will include a second-floor elevated indoor walking track to aid in the delivery of physical education to district students. There will be 3 additional classrooms/flex learning labs/virtual learning labs located on the second floor. Dressing rooms for football, track, and soccer, along with a visitor’s concession stand and restrooms for football, a rock climbing wall for PE classes, and safe rooms for students using the building. Phase Two: To build/replace a district bus mechanics garage. Place asphalt at various locations to improve the parking area. Future wise this bond will benefit all Heavener High School athletes and will be a bigger, better, and cleaner place to practice. Although there are many concerned about this bond really being what we as a community need, some believe we should look into other things such as repairing the parking lot and fixing the town’s water problems (which is a separate issue).
Heavener High School students were sent a poll asking for feedback. We had 40 student responses overall, with all students stating they were aware of the bond issue. When asked his opinion on the bond, senior Chrystain Martinez thinks the fitness center is sentimental to Heavener’s community and we should look into hiring a new art teacher. He states, “If I were paying property taxes I’d rather pay more for cleaner water rather than just a new athletic facility, this next-gen building sounds too good to be true. If we do end up getting it, the indoor track should be allowed to be used by the public. After all, the public is technically paying for it.” It is important to note that salaries cannot be paid out of a bond issue and funding for the water system would be a tax not associated with a bond tax. These are two issues that many students didn’t seem to fully understand. We’ll know more after the polls close tomorrow evening.
Keily Brown, Makayla Standifer & Gracie Summers