SOUTH POINT – With less than a day until voting booths open, South Point community members think their chances are good to get new schools.

Monday, March 06, 2000

SOUTH POINT – With less than a day until voting booths open, South Point community members think their chances are good to get new schools.

The district is asking South Point voters to approve a 4.84-mill property tax levy Tuesday, which would supply $7.1 million in local matching funds to add to $23.4 million in state building assistance funding to construct a new high school and consolidated elementary school, and to turn the current high school into an improved middle school.

The levy appeared on voters’ ballots in November, but the measure failed by a little less than 300 votes.

Committee for Bettering South Point Schools members do not want that to happen again.

The group has been dialing the numbers of undecided voters and answering any questions voters might have, said Henry Cooke, South Point High School principal.

"We think the vote’s going to be close," Cooke said. "We’re just trying to make sure the people have good information. We’ve identified a pool of people we think are supportive or undecided and we’ve been calling them.

"If people find out what’s going on and still don’t want to vote for it, we’re OK with that."

But that doesn’t mean Cooke understands why any resident would want to give up this much state funding to improve the area’s schools.

"It’s a basic math problem," Cooke said. "It would take $14 million of local money to renovate all three buildings or it could take $7 million in local funding to build two new schools and renovate a third."

Community members seem to be responding well to the one-on-one contact committee members have used as their staple for campaigning, said Paul Copley, who has dialed many numbers himself.

"When people call and you share the information, people respect that," Copley said Saturday. "I got a call this morning about how much taxes would be on a certain home. The rumors the person had heard were double what the new tax actually would be."

Once community members realize how much they would be getting from the state, responses are encouraging, said Jack Wheeler, another committee member.

"I’ve talked to a lot of people and most seem to be in favor of it," Wheeler said. "They all know we need new technology. We’re eagerly waiting for election night. I can’t even sleep, getting ready for this thing."

Committee members’ hopes are high, and they think they have a good chance at this election, said Bill Rose.

"I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for the district," Rose said. "It’s wonderful because of the technology we will be able to have. We will be able to offer a lot more."

South Point committee members will be stationed at each precinct to answer any last questions voters may have. Or, area residents could call Paul Copley at 894-3959, Scoot Smith at 377-3377, or Henry Cooke at 894-4526.