Fort Cobb-Broxton to decide on school expansion bond proposal; Kiowa County voting on funding source for Elkview Hospital

A $20.68 million bond issue proposal on the ballot in Caddo County will provide construction funding for Fort Cobb-Broxton Schools.

The proposal will dedicate $10.966 million to the elementary school and $1.4 million to the middle school, renovating both buildings and adding art and music classrooms to the elementary school.

School officials said the elementary school has a leaky roof that must be replaced, while both schools will be renovated with new plumbing, electrical work, heating and air conditioning systems, lighting, flooring, and window replacement. Building entrances also will be redesigned to provide more security, while glass classroom walls will be replaced as part of enhanced security measures.

In addition, the project will build new art and music classrooms on the north end of the elementary school, space that will include display areas for student work. New bathrooms also will be built.

District officials said the new Caddo Wind project will help lessen the impact of the bond proposal on district property owners. With the increased valuation from that wind farm, district officials estimate district patrons will cover about 24 percent of the bond proposal, with the remaining 76 percent to come from the wind farm property.

If voters approve the issue Tuesday, district officials estimate construction could begin by October for the elementary school work and December for the middle school. A nine-month construction time is estimated for the middle school work, and 12 to 15 months for the elementary school.

Fort Cobb-Broxton School officials estimate completion of the new construction projects will be nine to 15 months.

In Kiowa County, residents will decide on a countywide sales tax, a 1.5 cent tax whose revenues would support Elkview General Hospital in Hobart. County officials estimate the tax will raise $1.2 million a year for the hospital.

Under the terms of the ballot proposition, sales tax revenues could be used to operate, maintain, plan, finance and build hospital and related medical facilities under the control of the Kiowa County Hospital Authority, doing business as Elkview General Hospital. Funds also could be used to pay debt service and related financing costs on hospital obligations. The 25-year tax would begin July 1 and end June 30, 2049.