Christian County School Board members approved the nickel tax question to be placed on the ballot for the November general election and heard updates regarding Millbrooke Elementary School traffic and renovations at the Gateway Academy/Breathitt Center.
Board members approved the nickel tax ballot question that was placed as an addendum on the consent agenda before Thursday night’s meeting. The question on ballot will be “Are you for or against the Christian County Board of Education levying an additional equivalent tax rate of five cents on each $100 of real and personal property to raise funds to be used only for major renovation of existing school facilities, new construction, and debt service on that construction or renovation?”
This comes after the nickel tax was recalled in May and the school board chose not to hold a special election, which would cost around $70,000 and voted to put the nickel tax on the November ballot. The school board passed the nickel tax in February, citing the extra tax would raise the districts bonding potential from around $15 million to over $50 million in order to build new academic buildings at both high school campuses.
During presentations, Millbrooke Elementary School Principal Ryan Amerson presented board members with an update on plans to handle school traffic due to the Millbrooke Bridge being replaced, cutting off traffic to the school from Country Club Lane. With only one route to the school, he says this is problematic because they have around 750 students and half those students are dropped off by personal vehicles.
He notes they will be putting in a single-lane gravel driveway around the school for drop-offs and they are encouraging alternate forms of transportation for vehicles, including the “Bike It or Hike It” campaign and carpools.
In addition, he says the school will provide buses to shuttle students who will be picked up at Food Lion and the Walmart Neighborhood Market. Amerson adds the City of Hopkinsville is also helping out by putting in a temporary four-way stop at Pyle Lane and Millbrooke Drive, a temporary school zone on Pyle Lane between Great Oaks Drive and Peachtree Place, and a temporary traffic signal at Pyle Lane and Canton Pike.
Also at the meeting, the board heard an update from Andrew Owens of Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects who reported they have almost completed work at the Breathitt campus and Gateway Academy.
Chief Operations Officer Brad Hawkins announced a ribbon-cutting and open house will be held on the afternoon of August 5th at 5:00. He says the public is invited.
