When the dust settled April 7, the Geary Public School bond question passed by a wide margin. The school board took up the matter Monday night. The first order of business in connection with the bond measure was to pass a resolution setting the maturity date and a date and time for the sale of the bonds.
The amount of the bonds is $5 million. That money will be piggybacked on the $11.4 million paid to the district by its insurance company, following a catastrophic fire in March 2025. That brings the total for construction to about $16 million.
Prior to the fire, the district had already used COVID money to build a four-classroom addition with safe rooms. That addition was undamaged by the fire. In combination with the new addition, the bond and insurance money will create an allinclusive K-12 campus.
A portion of the original high school entry and north wall will remain and be incorporated into the new construction. That is more than just nostalgia; if the walls had all been demolished, the foundation would have been removed as well because state statute does not allow the reuse of foundations in public building construction.
At the meeting, the sale was set for 12:30 p.m. May 4 at the field house. The entire series will be offered at that time and the repayment is set at about $550,000 each year, except for the last year when it will be $560,000. Those repayments are made via property tax collections.
Superintendent Sean Buchanan said he had no idea at the outset who much work goes into getting a bond passed, even though he had been part of a failed campaign for bonds several years ago. With the passage of the bond issue, Buchanan said, “Now the work starts.”
The district is already working with the city and its power supplier to move the electrical lines and install three-phase power to the facility. The district is also working with the city to move a gas line that formerly ran under the school buildings. Buchanan said the two entities have developed a plan for that change as well.
With the demolition of the old ag building and bus barn, dirt work can begin on the location. Blaine County has assisted the district by using its trucks and equipment to haul away the demolished foundations. A Greenfield business has offered to supply the needed additional soil at a discount.
In other business, the board swore in newly seated members Afton Jameson and Karen Looney for seats one and three, respectively. Looney had been appointed to fill the unexpired term for seat one, a vacancy was created when Kendra Huston resigned. Both James and Looney were unopposed for their seats.
The board then reorganized itself, with Afton named as board president, Jason Bernhardt as vice president and Looney as board clerk.
High school principal Jim Raniey noted that three of his seniors will be eligible for their associate’s degree from Redlands Community College by the time they graduate from high school. He also told the board the band had gone to district competition for the first time in 30 years and done well.
Next month the board will hold a special meeting in conjunction with the Geary City Council meeting on May 14. The purpose is to discuss a long term lease or outright purchase of the ball fields that the two had previously shared. The city owns the fields but the schools have used them and helped with the upkeep.
In discussions with the city’s attorney, Buchanan said, he learned the city might be more amenable to an offer because of its needs to meet the cost of infrastructure improvements.
Buchanan also took the opportunity to issue an official thanks to the community for its support. “I can’t thank them enough,” he said. “It was all about supporting the kids.”
Jameson shared the superintendent’s gratitude.
“I know how important this is to the kids,” she said. “But it was amazing to see this community come together for them.”