BELLE — An 18-minute discussion between members of the Gasconade County R-2 Board of Education on Dec. 15 resulted in a 5-1 vote approving a resolution to call an election on the issuance of a $14,916,000 general obligation bond in April 2026.

If voters approve the question, the district’s debt service levy is estimated to remain unchanged at 67 cents per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property.

Board members were presented with four options to choose from, with a low, middle and high price point. Members were split on the needs. Debbie Landolt asked about changing the bond language to further spell out the projects. Superintendent Dr. Jeri Kay Hardy said to some extent the district is limited by the “letter of the law” when discussing what they can add in to the bond language.

“Like for the weight room and locker room (renovation), I mean, one of the reasons we’re doing that (is that it) also allows for expansion of the (CTE) Career Technical Education programs,” Landolt said.

Member Kari Nolting clarified her request.

“Like adding on renovations to the weight room and locker rooms at OHS to allow for CTE?” Nolting asked.

Board President Glenn Ely said he thinks they can accomplish both goals.

“The ballot is to the specific projects,” Ely said, referring to the list of projects on the bond request. “And I think where we’re trying to land on is the amount; that there’s comfort and competence and consensus around that.”

Ely said he appreciated the tiered options.

“I appreciate the top and the bottom, because that kind of lets you gravitate towards the potential impact to an individual around just assessments in property,” Ely added. “Whether that’s the same rate as we currently have, and it does clearly state the projects.”

The board has spent the better part of 2025 working with a Long-Range Facility Planning Committee made up of volunteer community members to determine what the district needs.

The district has been working with Navigate Building Solutions to outline a project cost plan, review general contractors and price points. Following approval of a bond resolution, Hardy said Navigate will also help them create videos to show the community the needs of the district.

“Navigate will help with doing the videos to explain the reason (for the locker room and weight room renovations) is because we have so many students who are displaced because of CTE expansion,” Hardy began. “Then we talk about the movement of kids. How many kids use the weight room? So we need to move that because we have auto tech coming in. Then that’s going to be a big story when we are telling that to the community.”

Ely began the discussion about which project plan they should approve.

“We typically spend roughly $1 million to $1.5 million a year on capital (improvements),” Ely said. “One of the errors in previous bonds is that there wasn’t enough money built into the contingent. Specifically around the middle school and middle school gym was a victim to that particular thing. So I would recommend the $15 million amount with that understanding. It builds enough of a buffer that we can appropriately accommodate the projects and gives us some flexibility.”

If passed, the funds from the bond may only be spent on capital improvements or capital projects.

“We have rotations on the way we approach our capital projects, and I think that’s made us more effective and better money managers,” Ely said.

Member Jenni Crosby disagreed.

“I think, based on the past two elections, we need to be as conservative as possible,” Crosby said. The community has talked about needs versus wants, and I just think the lower the number we can keep it, the better. So I like $14 million. I think anything, even if we could get under $14, would be ideal. But I think the lower the better.”

Hardy said 20 years ago, the same type of bond they are asking for now was being discussed and the superintendent recommended the board go higher to leave a buffer and they didn’t. By the time the bond passed, they didn’t have the funds to complete the bonded projects sufficiently.

“Looking back at the history of that, I have to say, and I will 100 percent go with whatever you all decide as a board,” Hardy said. “But when we go with the $14.9 million, the $15 million, or $14.1 million, all of those are going to move the multi-purpose room back over to connecting to the Ag building. That doesn’t have any locker rooms or anything in there with that $14.1 million price tag.”

With the approval of the $14.916 million bond resolution, the multipurpose building will connect the main building to the ag building, with funds for a locker room addition, parking lot paving, and other potentially unexpected expenses during construction.

“The additional funds will allow for other projects to be completed,” Hardy added.

Crosby said students losing a few minutes out of class time because they are using the existing locker rooms and walking the distance to the multipurpose building is a small sacrifice.

“I do think the goal for many of us is to have a field house at some point, and so this is just a short-term space for them,” Crosby said. “That’s a small sacrifice, big picture.”

Landolt said she also thinks they need to ask for less during this bond request.

“So I think we need to land under where we tried for the last time, but knowing…we don’t run a bond that frequently, so it’s still out,” Landolt began. “Looking at all of our schedules, you know, roofs, parking lots, resurfacing, track, turf, all of those things, I think there’s going to be additional expenses that we’re possibly not going to be able to cover with capital. So I would land on the $15 million.”

Member Jason Crowe was between $14.916 million and $15 million.

“The $14.916 million was the price tag of option two,” Crowe said. “Whenever it comes to how the public would view it too, as opposed to one round number and just saying, ‘well, they’re asking for a bunch of money,’ well, here’s an exact number. We’ve really looked hard at this and come to a place where it’s like, this is the amount that we need for the project that we feel is good for everybody. I don’t know, I kind of lean towards that one, but, yeah, but somewhere between those two.”

Nolting said she was leaning toward the $14.916 million.

“We need to be transparent,” Nolting said. “We need to show that’s why we went with this company, to show the line items, to show what every project is going to cost, what every piece of it is going to cost. So when we start putting numbers out to the community of what each project is going to cost, they’re going to see the total of $14.916, at least, for now starting out. Maybe as the next couple of months transpire, that number adjusts a little bit. But we can say this is where we started.”

Nolting said requesting an overage to use as a buffer will cause some to question the board’s request.

“We are going to have people who want to know where that $83,000 is going. I just feel like we need to try to be as clear with what we are asking for, what the intentions are, what money is going to go towards. On the other hand, I agree and overestimate, and I don’t want another OMS gym situation, either.”

Member Keith Glaser said the lower they can keep the bond request, the better off they’ll be.

Ely recommended the board approve the question of a general obligation bond in the amount of $14.916 million. The motion passed with a 5-1 vote with Crosby voting against the motion. Member Jean Baker was absent.

“I respect you, Jenni,” Nolting said.

“It’s not because I don’t support it,” Crosby said.

According to the bond language, projects include:

• Construction of an addition at OHS to connect the main building to the Ag building, and provide additional classroom space for band, choir, and drama programs;

• Construction of a multipurpose building at OHS;

• Renovations to the weight room and locker rooms at OHS;

• Renovate the small gym into an auditorium;

• Upgrades to playground equipment at Owensville Elementary School; and,

• Expansion of the kitchen and improvements to the front corridor at Gerald Elementary School.

If approved, the district’s debt service property tax levy is estimated to remain unchanged at 67 cents per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property.