By JOEL PHELPS | arkadelphian.com
If construction of a new Arkadelphia High School is in the cards, voters living within the boundaries of the Arkadelphia Public School District can expect to vote as early as this coming November on either a millage increase or an extension of the current millage.
The Arkadelphia Board of Education heard presentations from an architect and a bondsman during a meeting held Tuesday, July 8. The district is consulting with Lewis Architects Engineers, the Little Rock firm that designed the blueprints for the new Peake Elementary School, as well as Stephens Inc. to guide the funding aspect.
Though no official decision was made, of the three locations suggested on the AHS/Goza property, the school board appeared to be in agreement to build the new 130,000-SF facility behind/directly west of the current high school. Other options presented were between the existing AHS and Goza, and on the district-owned lot between Badger Lane and Walmart.
As reported earlier, the current facility would stand until construction is complete, then the old high school would be demolished, as per state funding requirements.
District officials say a new AHS isn’t an issue of wanting additional space and nicer facilities at the 50-plus-year-old campus, but rather a need to meet warm/safe/dry requirements.
Aside from the possibility of building an administrative office later on, a new high school would be the finale of major capital improvement projects for the district.
Voters in 2015 backed a 5.75 mill increase to fund new facilities and building projects, which to date have included the new Goza Middle School and Peake Elementary School.
Funding
Funding a new high school is now on the forefront of the board’s agenda, and it now has a tight deadline to propose its option to voters.
Jason Holsclaw from Stephens Inc. presented the board with four bond issuance scenarios, ranging from the basic necessities of a high school and a required safe room to an all-out campus featuring a high school/safe room/auditorium/gym/career+tech center.
Proposed building costs ranged from $22 million to $50 million after subtracting state partnership funding and use of the district’s building fund. The basic option would shift maintenance/operation mills to debt service mills. A middle-of-the-road option calls for a 3-mil increase. The premium option would need an additional 7.7 mills and still require the debt service transfer, Holsclaw said.
The millage rate for the Arkadelphia Public School District currently sits at 44.65 mills, above the state average of about 39 mills for school districts. An increase of 7.7 mils would put Arkadelphia at the third-highest millage rate in the state*, below only the North Little Rock and Earle (Crittenden County) school districts, according to a 2024 report by the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.
In terms of bond debt, Holsclaw reported the district currently has about $32 million in outstanding debt from the two previous bond issues for the Goza and Peake campuses.
*Holsclaw pointed out that voters in the North Little Rock School District have since backed a millage increase since the 2024 data was released, putting that millage rate at 52.3 mills.
Mills, explained
An increase of 7.7 mills would equate to an additional $154 for a real property tax bill for a property valued at $100,000.
As used in property tax, 1 mill is equivalent to $1 in property tax levied per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.
To calculate millage in Clark County, multiply 20% of the market value to determine the taxable value, then multiply that figure by the total millage and divide by 1,000 for the tax bill.
For instance, a property within both the school district and the city limits of Arkadelphia that is worth $100,000 comes to a total real property tax bill of $1,135 (homestead credit notwithstanding). Combined with county, city and school millages, the total millage rate for an Arkadelphia resident is 56.75 mills. Example: (100,000×0.2)(56.75)/1,000=$1,135. The same formula applies for personal property taxes.
Board comments
Kenneth Harris Jr. asked fellow board members whether they thought the new Goza and Peake campuses would sway voters’ support for “the entire package” at the high school.
“I think so,” replied board president Blake Bell, steering a question to Holsclaw of statewide trends in millage elections. Holsclaw responded that millage elections are generally successful so long as school districts and their governing bodies are good stewards fulfilling their community’s wishes.
Matt Johnson seemed opposed to asking for an additional 7 mills, suggesting that the board instead meet in the middle and ask for a 3-mill increase for a better chance of voter backing.
Deadline
Voters could take up the question of the millage in a November election if the district provides all necessary documents to the county clerk’s office by Sept. 5, Holsclaw said.
The board would need to adopt a resolution to adopt a proposed budget and call for an election, Holsclaw said.
That resolution may be part of the school board’s Aug. 19 meeting if administrators develop a budget in the meantime.
Other business
Some highlights from Tuesday’s agenda included the formal adoption of the student handbook and a 20-cent meal increase for lunch costs.
Of note in the handbook is a policy defining absences for elementary students. Peake students who arrive between 8:30-11:30 or leave between 11:30-2:30 will be counted absent for half a day.
Lunch for pre-K through 4th grade increased to $2.95, and lunch for 5th-12th grade increased to $3.05. That vote carried, with Kenneth Harris casting the only dissenting vote.
Ag building lease
Following a 15-minute executive session to discuss real property, school board members reconvened in public and approved a lease agreement between the school district and Malone Real Estate LLC.
The board did not disclose any details about the lease agreement, including cost.
A motion to approve the agreement carried 5-2. Citing a conflict of interest, Gina White abstained. Matt Johnson opposed the measure, but would not give his reason for casting a dissenting vote when asked by The Arkadelphian.
The property belongs to Arkadelphia businessman and pharmaceutical mogul Percy Malone. According to real estate records available online, Malone owns a 5,000-SF warehouse located on a 0.35-acre lot at 303 High School Dr.
Act 883 allows school boards to meet in executive session outside public view with school superintendents and lawyers to discuss litigation, settlement offers, contract disputes and “discussions pertaining to real property” — all matters that had previously been subject to Arkansas’s Freedom of Information Act, Arkansas Business reported after state lawmakers pushed for legislation that became law in 2023.
This post has been updated to correct that Lewis Architects wrote the blueprints for Peake, not both new schools as first reported. We apologize for the error.
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