If Passed, Higher Taxes Coming for Fountain Lake School District Property Owners
In the November 30th, 2021, edition of the Hot Springs Village Voice an article on page 6A, was published. It started out by saying: “Publishers Note: This is the first of a six-part series of comments offered to the Hot Springs Village Voice regarding the upcoming school millage vote. Personal opinions reflect their own and not necessarily the view of the Hot Springs Village Voice. The series is offered to bring information to voters.”
Another Point of View of the Proposed Fountain Lake School District Millage Increase
FLSD: “The Fountain Lake School District [FLSD] is proposing a 5 mil increase to fund the construction of a new elementary school, a community workforce center, a sports complex, a performance arena, and expansion of the roadway system within the campus.”
“Under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Michael Murphy and the Fountain Lake Board of Education, conservative budgeting and management of resources have allowed the district to purchase two adjacent tracts of land. Expanding the district footprint to the south and west by more than twenty-five acres, clearing and developing those sites for future use has been done from district revenue fund balances.”
Taxpayers: While we find it commendable for FLSD to engage in conservative budgeting and management of their resources, we question why this endeavor was undertaken PRIOR to knowing the results of the upcoming Special Election on February 8th, 2022? Is FLSD so confident that the vote for the 5 mil increase will be in their favor that they purchased the property for their “needs?” Also, it is not transparent to the taxpayers how much revenue FLSD netted from the sale of timber on the cleared 25 acres. Where is this information located?
FLSD: “After completing a facilities audit during the 2017-2018 school year, the need for adequate elementary classrooms rose to the highest level of concern. Current classrooms in the 2-4th grades building no longer meet the state minimum standards for square footage.”
Taxpayers: We researched AR State minimum standards for classroom square footage in the ‘Arkansas Public School Academic Facility Manual’ (Chapter 6, June 27, 2016). No mention of minimum square footage was found.
FLSD: “Two 30 year old portable buildings are not conducive to learning.”
Taxpayers: What classes are currently held in these portables? How can we better understand what makes them not conducive to learning?
FLSD: “One kitchen from which to serve the entire student population requires lunch for some students to begin at 10:00 AM, while the last students finish lunch at 1:00 PM.”
Taxpayers: FLSD has approximately a 1370 student enrollment count. Not a large student population for a pre-k-12 school when compared to other schools in AR. Adjusting the lunch hours ½ hour later may alleviate some of their problems.
FLSD: “The construction of a self-contained elementary school on the site of the current tennis courts will separate those students from the middle and high school students. Classrooms, a cafetorium/multipurpose facility, and a secure playground will allow the district’s early learners to remain on their own campus throughout the day.”
Taxpayers: FLSD is not an over-crowded campus and sharing resources is fiscally prudent compared with building and staffing an entirely new elementary school campus. Also, there is pending legislation in the U.S. Senate to provide school facilities and teachers for every child ages 3 -5 years. Wouldn’t it be wise to see what federal money and mandates become law before starting a new elementary campus?
FLSD: “The construction of on-campus baseball and softball fields would allow the district to have actual home fields rather than the current required travel to local youth league fields for practice and home games. Additional parking and a reconfiguring of the entrance to the football field would also be completed.”
Taxpayers: Please help us understand how this construction of on-campus athletic fields contributes to improving the academic progress of the District.
FLSD: “To further improve traffic flow and safety on the campus, a roadway along the southern and western border of the campus will move student drop-off and pick-up away from the center of the campus. The new road would connect Park Avenue to Cobra Drive and on through to Fox Pass Cut-off.”
Taxpayers: Why are HSV Property Owners who reside in the FLSD boundaries being asked to foot the bill for a new road that NONE of our approximately 200 HSV students use to get to and from school? We already provide approximately 78% of FLSD’s total revenue through our real estate taxes. At the current millage rate, we’ve made FLSD one of the wealthiest schools per student in Arkansas. Some taxpayers in HSV perceive this “needs” list to be an excessive “wants” list which will cost each and every property owner in FLSD boundaries a considerable increase in their existing real estate taxes—regardless of their current real estate property tax freeze under Amendment 79. It also does not consider the implications of the current reappraisals of all real property in both Saline and Garland counties. Most importantly, we the taxpayers do not feel the “needs” outlined by Superintendent Murphy are essential to the academic progress of our FLSD students. Vote NO!
Respectfully submitted,
Concerned HSV Property Owners for NO Fountain Lake District Millage Increase, December 8, 2021
For more information please email NoFLSDmillageincrease@mail.com
Click HERE to read the full article in the Voice titled, “Fountain Lake millage increase to fund new elementary school, sports complex.” Update: Unfortunately, this HSV Voice article link no longer works.
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Janet Rowe
12/08/2021 — 2:10 pm
Apparently, whoever wrote this has no clue as to how the campus is laid out and what is necessary or not necessary Classrooms are packed and they have had an increase in student population, especially in elementary, where they have had to hire more teachers. More teachers and students mean more classrooms.
Portable buildings are housing the Special Education students.
The kitchen is small as are the cafeterias, with about 180 students in the elementary cafeteria at one given time and the High School/Middle school side has even less seating capacity. With Covid concerns they had to spread the students out even more and some are eating away from the kitchen in a gymnasium where the food has to be delivered to them, which is a time consuming process, some of the kids don’t even get to eat the lunch by the time it gets to them.
Why a separate classroom buildings for elementary, because again the expanding population and the campus is small and compact, Middle and High School students pass right by the younger students traveling to shared buildings including the cafeteria. This is not even taking into consideration is their does become a mandate to add 3-5 year olds into a campus setting, thus it would mean more classrooms and do we really want all grades mingled together at times with behavioral factors being taken into consideration.
Additional athletic fields and how does that contribute to education. Well not everything learned is book learned, athletics teaches skills, cooperation and learning to deal with rules as well as providing students with an outlet to keep themselves physically fit. P.E. classes are often rolled into practices for the different teams.
The new road – “NONE” of us living in the Village will have a use for it. Really, apparently the writer has not been on campus for morning drop-off or afternoon pick-up. The line forms about an hour and a half before school gets out and cuts right through campus for elementary and drop off in the morning is severely congested with the amount of vehicles and closes off a main road through campus. Middle School drop-of and pick-up is in front of the Middle School building and is backed up tremendously congesting the parking lot so that no one parked can leave. We have students that live here in the Village and not all of them ride the buses for various reason, parents work in Hot Springs and drop them on the way, parents don’t want their younger kids riding the bus with older kids and then there are the ones that miss the bus. The new road would provide a much less congestive safe way for students to be delivered to and picked up from school.
Lorri Street
12/08/2021 — 5:11 pm
Hi Janet…with all due respect after reading once again the above rebuttal I think you may have misunderstood some of the writers points. There is pending legislation in the U.S. Senate to provide school facilities and teachers for every child ages 3 -5 years. It would be far more fiscally prudent to see what federal money and mandates become law before starting a new elementary campus? Additionally, the CARES ACT–COVID RELIEF FEDERAL $$– provided school districts everywhere a significant chunk of change, just as we here in the Village received $3 million. As far as the portables being used for Special Education, my entire career as a Speech Language Pathologist in several school districts I can say hands down the majority of special education was taught in portables. Historically, it’s been that way for generations of special needs students. I’ve personably experienced district administers attempting to build their district empire with little to do with the improvement of academic scores.
Kirk Denger
12/08/2021 — 2:30 pm
Do they make this vote every six months until it passes?
The elementary school was completely restored 10 years ago.
Lorri Street
12/08/2021 — 5:18 pm
The last time FLSD proposed a millage increase was in 2019. The HSV Property Owners who live/lived in the school districts boundaries voted against it. And…looks like they will try once again with even a higher millage increase of 5 mills.
Clark Vernon
12/08/2021 — 9:11 pm
Becasue of the valuation of the homes within the HSV boundries of the Fountain Lake School District, the District is one of the best funded in the state. In the 2019 vote for a Mileage increase teachers salaries was one of the focus points. No mention of that in this request. And, for those who have lived here more than 10 years, we’ve all noted the tremendous expansion of the school physical plant. But we have also noted that Fountain Lake consistently grades as “C” or lower on student proficiency tests. We can easily look around the state and observe those schools who are top achievers that do it without the benefit of facilities as plush as Fountain Lake. Lets reward excellence as measured by student achievement. Vote “NO” for more physical plant and no evidence of improved student achievemant. Mediocrity should not be rewarded with one of he higher mileage rates in the state. Vote NO.
Tami
12/09/2021 — 2:49 pm
Wow! Just wow!
Jake Dettmering
01/12/2022 — 12:16 pm
I understand not wanting your taxes to go up. However, I am not understanding the logic of voting NO because Fountain Lake is not meeting your expected student achievement scores. Denying additional funding to the school doesn’t seem like a logical step to help improve student achievement, if that is truly the issue. What student achievement scores would it take for you to vote YES and “reward” Fountain Lake students and staff?
FYI…If the millage increase passes it would not be one of the highest millage rates in the state. It would not even one of the highest in the area. Fountain Lake’s millage rate would go from 34.8 to 39.8, if the millage proposal passes. Cutter, Lake Hamilton, Lakeside, Cutter, Hot Springs, Harmony Grove, Benton, and Bryant are all area schools with millage rates between 40.6-48.8, and would all still have a higher millage rate than Fountain Lake. Fountain Lake would be almost even with Mountain Pine’s 39.9 and would slightly pass Jessieville’s rate of 38.7, if the proposal passes.
Clark Vernon
01/12/2022 — 10:52 pm
Becasue of HSV valuations the FL school district has enjoyed more revenue on a per capita basis than most other schools in the state. Most of that money over the years went to physical plant and this latest increase is also for physical plant (even when there is little student population growth). I can point out schools all over the stated with substandard facilities that do not hold them back from delivering excellent education as documented by test scores. Neither FL or Jessieville who have significant revenue advantages deliver on education. Why would anyone want to spend money for education at schools you would hesitate to send your kids if they were still school age? To once again say the physical plant is inadequate is a lame excuse – and it has no tie to better quality education, Fountain Lake has already demonstrated that! When the perforfmance improves – then support them. Vote NO!
Jake Dettmering
01/13/2022 — 8:36 pm
There are many outside factors to consider when looking at student achievement, such as: socioeconomics, parents education level, expectations, student confidence and desire to learn, learning disabilities, etc. I remember my grandmother (who was a teacher) telling me that I need to do well in school and go to college all the way back when I was 5-6 years old…sadly not all kids have that. Teachers are a part of student achievement, and can be a significant part, but they aren’t the only factor. Fountain Lake’s staff work hard to constantly improve their teaching methods to better educate their students and improve testing scores; but there is more to a teachers success than a standardized test score.
I believe, the last time a FL school building that holds classrooms was built was in 2008-09, and is the current middle school. According to others’ posted comments, the student population in 2006-07 was 1135, is currently at 1320, and had a high of 1407. So in that approximate time span, a student increase of about 185-272 students, depending what numbers you use. Part of this “physical plant” you are talking about is an elementary school. Elementary classes can have maximum class sizes ranging from 20 in Kindergarten to a 25 average in 4th Grade. Depending how you use the above numbers, that would be an additional 8-14 classrooms needed since the middle school was built, if using maximum class sizes. The number of classes needed would be a little higher if you can allow for smaller class sizes, which would obviously be a better situation for student learning.
Also according to others’ comments, our Agri building was built in 1979. Part of the “physical plant” is also a Job Skills/Community Center, which will also add more classrooms and will provide a more modern updated facility to replace the one built in 1979. It will enhance job skills training and provide increased opportunities to begin career development programs, which will benefit our community. Test scores are not the only measure of student achievement or student success. If a student doesn’t perform well on a standardized tests, but graduates high school with his foot in the door as a mechanic, welder, etc., would that be a measure of student achievement or success that doesn’t show up in standardized test scores?
Dee Dixon
12/08/2021 — 11:52 pm
I was a certified high school teacher who worked in the Blue Valley public school system in Overland Park, Kansas for over 30 years. About 20 years ago I recall my stepfather (at age 65 or so) complaining about an indoor swimming pool being added to the Branson, Missouri High School campus when, as he recalled, there was not a swimming pool when he attended high school sometime in the 1940’s. I do not understand why some retired citizens forget that they are part of the “public” in a public school system. We all benefit from the improvement of the educational system regardless of our age. Generally speaking, the school districts with significant community support have the resources to continually improve the delivery of services to their students and their community. Changes just in technology can deem a ten-year-old building as insufficient to the delivery of an educational system. Although I have been absent from the educational system for only seven years, I am certain that my education and training would be somewhat insufficient for teaching in today’s classroom, simple because of the rapid increase of information, technology and learning modalities. It is one thing to watch a bullfight from seats in the arena; it is definitely another, to be in the ring with the bull! Please support public education; more than likely, you certainly benefited from yours. Knowledge is power.
Lorri Street
12/09/2021 — 10:06 am
Weather could be inclement on Voting Day, February 8th. Request your Absentee Ballot now!
• Voter Registration Deadline: January 8th
• Early Voting: February 1-7 at the Garland County Election Commission (Closed on
Saturday and Sunday)
• Absentee Ballots: If you live in Saline County call 501-303-5630, if you live in Garland
County call 501-622-3610. Ask for the voter registration office.
Remember: Fountain Lake School District boundaries encompass areas in both Saline and Garland Counties. Check your property tax bill to determine if your house is within the FLSD borders. And, regardless of whether or not you have filed your ‘tax increase freeze’ millage increases supersedes your freeze. Questions? contact NoFLSDmillageincrease@mail.com
Paula Mercer
12/09/2021 — 12:28 pm
I think it’s important to note the main part of the pre-k through 1st building was built in 1964 & the “newer” part including main part of cafeteria was built around 1975. A build used by high school was built around 1971. The agriculture building was built in 1979. This means those children are being educated in facilities that are 40 – 57 years Think about how many more students the school is serving today than it was back then. Think about how much more technology is required that those 40-50 year old buildings are not equipped to handle to teach today’s students. Are we really saying these children aren’t worth it? And yes I live in the Village. I for one don’t feel you can put any price tag on our children. Teachers need higher pay. They are charged with caring for and teaching our most precious commodity. All our children (special needs to the gifted & talented) should have state of the art facilities to learn. They should know how much they mean to their community & be encouraged to become the best they can be. They are our future. All athletics & programs such as Beta club, EAST, FFA, etc…. should be supported & have access to state of the art equipment to encourage students on career oriented paths be ready for those careers upon graduation. Ftn Lake has the lowest mileage in the county and has for years. When are we going to stop putting the most precious commodity we have last and start putting it first? I say it’s time we do it now!
Lorri
12/09/2021 — 6:43 pm
Hello Paula…I’m a retired school speech-language pathologist and my daughter is a middle school teacher in CA. Believe it or not FLSD starting salaries for teachers with an undergraduate degree is very comparable to my daughter’s school. New Athletic Complexes, roadways, a brand new elementary school are just not warranted when a school districts total enrollment is approximately 1,370. Just more of HSV Property Owners $$ slated to expand the horizons of Supt. Murphy.
Kirk Denger
12/26/2021 — 9:24 am
Interesting how your history of the buildings at fl ended with 1979. The campus has doubled the square footage since then. Maybe a complete building history is in order.
Rationals get out of order when temporary Covid spacing in cafeterias dictates building another cafeteria.
The expressway expansion is not increasing student enrollment.
If you need one more elementary classroom, go ahead and build a whole new elementary complex, and throw in a couple of baseball fields?
It is fun to dream with other peoples money. Good luck
Lorri Street
12/09/2021 — 6:52 pm
And…FLSD millage is lower than most other AR. School Districts BECAUSE they receive a MUCH higher tax revenue BECAUSE HSV Property Owners who have homes in the district’s boundaries have
higher home valuations…78% of HSV real estate taxes go to FLSD. Remember…we have approximately 200 FLSD students who live in HSV. Why should we pay so much more just because our homes in a gated retirement village are worth so much more than outside the gates?
Paula Mercer
12/09/2021 — 9:42 pm
Hi Lorri,
I appreciate greatly that the Ftn. Lake District values it’s teachers enough to pay competitive starting salaries despite of it’s small mileage. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t agree with all administrative decisions at FL. I just believe in the students & teachers, and I believe they deserve our support. I have lived in the district most all of my life. I watched the Village be built. I graduated from Fl and went on to obtain my bachelors then masters degree as did my husband. We have attended church inside the village for over 12 years. I keep hearing how taxes on homes in the Village are so much higher than outside the gates. Maybe the majority are, but that has not been the case for us. We sold our home of 33 years just outside the Eastgate to move close to Balboa lake in April. We have found everything to be less expensive including our taxes and assessments. We are loving our new home and neighbors. I just wish people would quit distinguishing between “inside/outside” the gates, be neighbors and come together especially for the cause of the kids whether those at FL or Jessieville.
HSVP C
12/09/2021 — 6:49 pm
Thanks, everyone for your comments. Please use your first and last real names when commenting. Thank you.
Karl Lowry
12/09/2021 — 8:32 pm
I don’t have children that attend Fountain Lake but still pay taxes. That’s what normal people are required to do. I had three children graduate from the school and all of the items proposed would have been nice back then. That doesn’t mean that future generations should do without.
What I take offense to is the stance that people inside the HSV believe they are privileged and above supporting things that do not benefit them. You live in a gated community where luxuries like golfing and sitting on a beach are only available to your group. I don’t lose any sleep by being outside the gates one bit. Do HSV residents give me the same courtesy? No they don’t.
HSV was the vocal people who demanded the MLK Expressway be completed. I am a member of the committee that works in that area and had to listen to the constant complaining about Highway 7. The threats that Got Springs would lose revenue if HSV residents chose to spend money in Saline County was leverage. Now we have a roundabout, extra lanes, expressway, and millions of dollars spent for the HSV to support Garland County. What thanks so we get? The usual griping about paying taxes.
It’s always the same story with the HSV. They want everyone to cater to them but they don’t care about the little people. Those kids don’t need the campus improvement. How dare they purchase adjacent property before securing the vote? More sports and parking doesn’t affect the HSV, why should we care? They worked on the elementary school ten years ago, should be good enough.
This rebuttal was written from a selfish perspective but I’m not surprised. I know several teachers at Fountain Lake that struggle with small classrooms and other issues. I don’t want to pay more taxes anymore than anyone else but investing in the future generations is vital. Why do so many in the HSV have such a poor attitude towards supporting the children?
Rendi Huchingson
12/09/2021 — 11:53 pm
I would like to say as a parent of a student at Fountain Lake – We love our school. It saddens me to think because some of us live behind a gate and some don’t that our children would suffer. Fountain Lake has the lowest millage rate in all of Garland County and Saline County (Mt. Pine has a higher millage rate), Cutter has the highest and look at what their school is doing. Yes it’s about education, paying our teachers more, being able to provide our kids with more stuff and not ALL children will grow up to be doctors, lawyers, book keepers, teachers, so or most wont even go to collage – so shouldn’t we as a community help grow their interest in other things as well as “book” education? What happen to doing more for those who are coming up behind us? Helping our community? Investing in the future by investing in our children? I do not believe that the Village pays a higher tax behind the gate than those living outside the gate – I will go with that fact that if you live in Saline County in the Village you are paying a much higher tax than those who live in Garland County… But that is County not because you live in the Village.
Information from the internet: A mill equals one-thousandth of a dollar and is used to quantify property tax rates. The higher the millage rate, the greater the resulting property taxes. If you know the mill rate, you can figure your property tax bill. In addition, you also need to know the assessment rate for your property. For example, some areas might only tax homes at 75 percent of the actual value rather than the full value. So you are going to complain over one-thousandth of a dollar???
Please do me a big favor – please call your assessors office and find out just how much your bill will increase for next year if the bill passes…. It’s the only fair thing to do! I’m pretty sure you will find that even an extra 100 a year for the betterment of our kids would be money well spent.
– PS: I own 2 homes, and land outside the village and land inside the village (in Saline County).
VOTE YES – I know I will be!!!
Lorri Street
12/10/2021 — 12:22 pm
Hello Rendi…here’s how to calculate how the proposed 5 millage increase will cost in increased taxes if you have a home within the boundaries of FLSD.
Formula to calculate increase: $100,000 x20% (assessed value of property) x.005 (proposed 5 mill increase). This formula was taken directly from a FLSD website.
On a $100,000 appraised home your annual real estate property tax will increase by $100.00
On a $200,000 appraised home your annual real estate property tax will increase by $200.00
On a $300,000 appraised home your annual real estate property tax will increase by $300.00
and so on…you can calculate your own increase by using the above formula.
What supporters of the FLSD proposed increase are doing is using minimizing language such as you have–one-thousandth of a dollar??? And, also how in the 8.5×11.5 full page/front & back glossy colored mailer shows ‘monthly increases cost’ as opposed to annual increase costs. Addtionally…it is worth repeating–because HSV homes values are typically higher than outside the gates we pay higher real property taxes. My 2018 total real estate tax was $93.67, of that amount $73.26 went to FLSD. ALL HSV Property Owners owners pay taxes to either Garland County or Saline County and we receive very little in return, if anything. We pay for our Police & Fire services, and our street repairs. In fact we pay, through our assessment & amenities fees, for everything inside the gates as we are a private community.
Rendi Washington
12/10/2021 — 1:46 pm
I believe my comment said “I’m pretty sure you will find that even an extra 100 a year for the betterment of our kids would be money well spent.” So what I’m saying is: If you go to sonic every other day for a year and get a sonic happy hour drink for 2.00 You are spending $365.00 in sonic drinks for the year …. You are telling me that you are going to complain about an extra 100 on a 100,000 investment? And I did do my research on taxes and Saline County personal property taxes are so of the highest in the state – which most of the Village homes for Fountain Lake are in Saline County.
I get it – I understand why people are so crazy about an increase in taxes but this one is going to our schools, OUR CHILDREN, the people that will one day be running the nursing homes, assisted living, golf courses, etc in the Village.
I can’t believe that we as a community would be willing to be OK with our kids being the lowest millage school in 2 counties! That we wouldn’t want our school to be the school that people wanted to move to not move away from!!! Just so petty and selfish on our parts to be worried over 200.00 extra dollars a year!
Lorri Street
12/10/2021 — 2:23 pm
Sorry Rendi…I don’t do guilt. And…I don’t go to Sonic. I’m on a fixed school retirement income and I budget for everything. Increasing real estate taxes so FLSD can out shine is irrelevant to me. Now…show me some data driven numbers where FLSD has risen above a grade C in academic performance please?
Rendi Washington
12/10/2021 — 3:33 pm
Lorri,
I would like you to go to http://www.niche.com and compare schools in Garland County. Fountain Lake has a B average – which is the same as Lake Hamilton – Lakeside has a A average and the ONLY school in our district that does! Jessieville has a B-.
With that being said now that our school is a B average does that change your mind about giving them money? It shouldn’t… and I will bet now you want them to have an A average! You see I can promise you that Lakeside has much more expensive homes in their district and they pay the 2nd highest millage in our district – much more than you or I and they are excelling! Their teachers are paid more, which means they keep them longer, they have expanded and grown to help their students. I know because I graduated from Lakeside and it’s not the same school that I attended 30 years ago but it’s because they have the funds to help their students. Just look around at the schools that have a higher millage and see how their students are excelling in not only academics but in teachers, sports, and growth. With better schools our community grows, which means better jobs, more housing, ect., it’s a circle.
Also I would like to point out about your house evaluation – a home on a lake in HSV is two times less than a home on Lake Hamilton or Lake Catherine – so therefore your home is NOT worth more than a home that is comparable to the same situation. Land/Lots in HSV are far less than anything outside the village. I know because I just purchased both.
I do hope you will research how Fountain Lake ranks among other Garland County schools and get behind supporting our school. If grades rank is all you are basing your decision on.
Janet Rowe
12/28/2021 — 1:48 pm
It is the entitlement way of so many that live in the Village. They forget that some one trough their taxes paid for them, their kids and grandkids to go to scool. I will be paying higher than most, do I want to spend more money, not really,but I will to support the kids and their learning. It is a never ending reality of how public schools are funded. Last ti.e the anti ones in the Village said they didn’t see the need to support methhead kids in this area. Makes me ashamed to hear that. My family will be voting YES.
Lorri Street
12/29/2021 — 6:12 pm
Janet…please clarify who made the comment, “Last ti.e the anti ones in the Village said they didn’t see the need to support methhead kids in this area.” I’ve NOT seen that disparaging comment in either of the 2 social media’s I have been using for this Vote NO campaign. If it’s true…please cite your source. And, please going forward do not generalize my efforts to get factual information out as being an “anti one.”
Janet Rowe
12/29/2021 — 11:23 pm
Lorri, the comment I referred to was made during the last millage vote as I stated in my comment and I did not say that it was associated with your Vote NO campaign this time, so I do not recall the name of the person that made that statement. As to your factual information, perhaps a tour of the school or maybe volunteering at the school, like I do may enlighten you with some of the struggles that are faced by the kids attending and the teachers. I have been associated with FL for the past 5+ years and know how dedicated the teachers and administrative staff are to helping the kids reach their highest potential. I have attended graduations and have seen proud students with the greater majority going on to higher education. We should support those kids and public schools have always been funded by tax monies, whether they are called school bonds, millage, etc. I went to public school, as did my kids and now a grandchild and during that time the “retired” folks in the neighborhood with no children attending that school system, paid into it with their taxes. It is the way things work and have for a long time.
Mrs. Katherine Miller
12/30/2021 — 7:38 am
A 13% increase in property appraisal valuations would equal adding 5 mils.
Lorri Street
01/02/2022 — 10:58 am
The response I received from owner and staff of the Hot Springs Village Voice after I requested my above rebuttal be published in their newspaper.
Sandy Johansen
To:streetbiken@att.net
Cc:Jennifer Allen
Fri, Dec 10, 2021 at 10:50 AM
Thank you for contacting the Hot Springs Village Voice regarding your thoughts relative to the upcoming FLSD millage request. My owner/publisher, Jennifer Allen, is interested in getting your point of view, but she is not running what you submitted.
As there are more dialogues to be posted from teachers at FLS, perhaps you’d like to review those in total and then we could sit down for an interview regarding your thoughts on the issue. My publisher/owner has agreed to sit in.
What I hope will work for you is we will meet with Jennifer Allen in January and set a tentative date for your interview with publication on Tuesday, January 25.
I would suggest our interview to be scheduled January 4 at 1 p.m. the Voice Office.
Please let me know if this is convenient for you.
Thank you
Sandy Johansen
Staff Writer
The HSV Voice
cc: Jennifer Allen
HSVP C
01/09/2022 — 11:32 am
Comments on this website should be made using first and last names or they will not be published. Thank you for understanding. – Cheryl Dowden
Jake Dettmering
01/12/2022 — 12:42 am
I feel like some of the tax payer rebuttal points in this article are misleading, inaccurate, or false. The school bought adjacent land when it was available. How is that a bad thing? It helps avoid being landlocked in the future and provides space for the inevitable need of facility expansion. Wether you believe facility expansion is needed now or not, there is no arguing that one day it will be needed. Fountain Lake’s student population has steadily increased since the current buildings were built. It is only a matter of time before the school outgrows its space. The land is currently being used as additional parking lots. If you have attended events at Fountain Lake parking is often an issue. I highly doubt the school leaders feel the Feb 8th vote is in hand, especially after the last millage vote getting shot down convincingly. They know it will be a difficult vote to win but want what is best for our students.
To the classroom square footage standards. After about 10 minutes of a Google Search, I found a Presentation to the Senate and House Committee on Education from July 6, 2020. The link below references square footage standards on slide 18. Not sure on the specifics of the debated facilities audit, but wanted to show there is some basis for square footage standards…
https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Calendars/Attachment?committee=410&agenda=3376&file=EX+F+School+Size+Best+Practices+6+30+20+(2).pdf
A facility that offers an additional cafeteria/kitchen would undoubtedly help. Not only would there be more space to serve the students, Fountain Lake would better be able to serve meals at ideal times conducive to foster student learning. Kids not getting served lunch until 1:00 or later, as was suggested, hinders learning. Kids getting lunch at 10:00 and going until 3:20 with no food, hinders learning. If a kid is hungry, learning will be compromised.
Anyone that says the campus is not that crowded and additional classrooms are not needed, is not aware of the current classroom issues. Many of the classes are at max or close to max student capacity. To the point earlier, if student growth continues more space will be needed—meaning more classrooms. It is an inevitable reality. A new elementary school, and student workforce center would significantly add to the number of classrooms.
I have heard that some believe adding to our athletic facilities is considered a wishlist item and not a need. Most importantly, the proposed athletic facility additions would greatly help alleviate a strain on our current athletic facilities, by providing more places for PE classes and sports teams to go. There is a strain on the scheduling of current facilities when you look at K-12 PE classes, 7-12 athletic teams, 3-6 peewee sport teams all needing a place to go at various times throughout the day. On top of the high demand for facilities, the current gym is one of the older ones in the area. It is unable to host any basketball regional or state tournaments, due to the seating capacity being too small to host any 4A post-season tournaments (according to AAA’s host gym requirements for 4A Region and State). In my opinion, these added athletic facilities would be beneficial to our school and community and isn’t unreasonable to be included. It would give our students a facility that is comparable to a lot of the area schools and schools that we compete with in conference and in post-season, while also alleviating the above mentioned strain on our current athletic facilities.
How will a baseball/softball complex help with student academic achievement??? Students who participate in sports show higher academic achievement. Sports require eligibility requirements and school attendance expectations. Plus there are tons of studies and research that show sports help enhance learning by improving confidence, self esteem, and the brains ability to concentrate and learn. Bussing the players to the current off campus field takes 15 minutes each direction, plus some time to load and unload players and equipment on and off the bus. So an on campus complex would also give the players an extra 45-60 minutes a night to study, do school work, or rest; while giving our baseball/softball programs an actual home field on campus.
I obviously am supportive of the millage proposal, but my main reason for this long post is to give information so people can vote being informed on some of the benefits our students would get. I understand that there are other factors that will influence people to vote a certain way and some people already have their minds made up on how they will vote. I just don’t want misinformation or very vague, inaccurate, or misleading information to be a factor in that decision. I am not suggesting anyone was intently giving bad information, but I know getting both sides of an issue will lead to a more fair voting outcome, and our kids at least deserve that.
strinda legesenter
01/12/2022 — 9:37 am
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HSVP C
01/12/2022 — 8:41 pm
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