SCSD2 holds public hearing on $1.8 million bond proposal

Scott County School District 2 (SCSD2) held the first of two required public hearings Monday evening regarding a proposed $1.8 million general obligation bond that will fund a series of necessary infrastructure, technology, and transportation improvements across the district.

The hearing, held in accordance with Indiana Code 6-1.1-20-3.1, marked the beginning of the legal process that allows the district to issue bonds or enter into a lease agreement for a project exceeding specific cost thresholds. While no board action was required at the hearing, it served as an opportunity for members of the public to offer comments. Attendees were asked to keep remarks to three minutes and focus only on the proposed project.

Superintendent Dr. Kyle Neukam outlined the purpose of the bond, which includes multiple smaller projects critical to maintaining school operations and student safety. These include a completed $160,500 electrical upgrade at the Vienna-Findley building, $20,000 for emergency radios district-wide, $45,000 in kitchen equipment repairs, and $12,000 to replace the central clock system at Lexington Elementary.

The district also plans to begin updating its aging bus fleet. No new buses have been purchased in a decade, and no used buses in the past three years. Two new buses are slated for purchase this fall at an estimated $150,000 each, followed by additional bus and minibus acquisitions through 2027.

Also included in the bond are $174,405 for staff devices and a $60,000 long-delayed mulching project at Johnson Elementary. The full scope of the project totals $1.576 million, leaving room for up to $100,000 in legal and financial costs, should the board choose to issue the full $1.8 million allowed under their bonding capacity.

Mike Thurber, the district’s financial advisor, emphasized that issuing this bond will not result in any increase to the public’s taxes. The bond would be repaid over five to six years and is structured to maximize existing financial capacity without burdening local taxpayers.

The second public hearing and preliminary adoption of the bond resolution is scheduled for July 8, with final board action set for August 8. If approved, bonds would be sold in September, with funding expected to be available by October.