Gore, Okla., voters approved two bond issues Tuesday night concerning proposed improvements to the town’s public schools.
A $300,000 bond proposal was described by officials as providing money to make aging school buildings more energy-efficient. The money would also go toward fixing drainage issues and upgrading technology.
A separate $100,000 bond issue proposed funding the purchase of a used school bus to transport students and use in a spare bus route. The bus would replace a high-mileage bus that has become high maintenance.
Both proposals passed, 202 to 67 and 205 to 67.
In another election Tuesday night, Ed Barton beat out Sherry Pickle for a vacant Vian School Board seat. Former school board member Jessie Young resigned in July after accepting a job as a high school counselor in town.
Voters were required to pass the Gore school bond proposals with more than 60 percent of the vote in order for the bonds to take effect. The bonds each passed with 75 percent of the vote, according to election officials.
“There’s no tax increase,” Gore Superintendent Lucky McCrary told 5NEWS the day before the election. “This bond would replace an existing bond that expires next year.”
McCrary said the insulation in the lower elementary building needs to be replaced.
“My kids, they take jackets to school because in the mornings, they don’t run the heat at night,” said Gore parent Kimberly Summerlin. “It’s really cold there in the mornings, and then I know they’ve said they wear their coats all day long.”
McCrary said safety is key for his students, and administrators hope to use the bond money to replace the schools’ glass doors, a measure they said would keep their students safe when severe weather strikes.
“The glass doors they have on either ends of the hall are just thin glass,” said McCrary. “A strong wind would come through and break that glass easy.”
Summerlin, a 30 year native of Gore, has 4 kids in school.
She said glass doors alarm her so much, she doesn’t think twice for her kid’s safety during severe weather.
“Whenever it comes tornado warnings, I go pick my kids up. I don’t leave them there,” she said.
Other school improvements include purchasing new computers and security systems for the two campuses of Gore.
