Bismarck School Bond | Video

Kristin Clouston | 8/31/2012

Bismarck and Mandan both have school bond issues coming up in September and voters want to know what it`s going to cost them and what they`ll get in return. Bismarck has added 650 new students in the past two years. If the $85.5 million bond passes, five million dollars will go towards improving existing schools. The rest will be used to build a high school and two elementary schools.

"The idea behind this is to build two, roll the sixth grade into the middle school, put the freshmen out of middle school into the new high school and that way instead of building a high school and four elementary schools, you can build two elementary schools and one high school," said Superintendent Tamara Uselman.

Bismarck is the largest district in the state, has 300 more kids than Fargo and one less high school.

The average homeowner in Bismarck currently pays just under a thousand dollars a year in school taxes.

"We figured on a $165,000 home, which is the average, so you can do the math on that yes, except the mill levy also fell in the district this year by two mills. So I would say you`re still in the neighborhood of that $9 to $12," Uselman said.

The Superintendent says the mill has fallen pretty steadily for the past 12 years. Board members say they hope the bond passes, but if it doesn`t they`ll have to go back to the drawing board.

"That`s one thing we as a board will have to visit with the public and see what we need to do. I mean there`s just limited space for teaching our students in Bismarck there`s just not enough space," said School Board President Steve Marquardt.

Election day is September 18. You can vote on the bond issue at Hughes Educational Center any weekday between 9:00 and 5:00 before the 18th and at any elementary, middle school or Lincoln City Hall on election day.

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