The Blue Ridge School district has established a question for the March ballot involving their Mansfield facility project.

The Board of Education for the Blue Ridge School District will be seeking the approval of the voters to approve bonds of up to $6.7 million. Susan Wilson, Superintendent of the Blue Ridge School district explains the total cost of the project will be a little more than $8-million after some Health/Life Safety issues are addressed.

[audio:blueridgereferendum1.mp3]Wilson On Total Cost of Project[/audio]

According to Wilson, the cost of the Health/Life Safety items do not have to be taken care of prior to the building being built, but she feels taking care of them as a part of the current bond would be better than in another year or two coming back and asking the voters to approve more bonds. The Health/Life Safety items are replacement of the roof, remove the chimney, replace the boiler and hot water system and replace the septic system.

[audio:blueridgereferendum2.mp3]Wilson On Health/Life Safety Items[/audio]

Wilson explains the district has overcome a lot of financial hardships in the past and built up a nice reserve of savings. She says those savings are now paying off to various areas of the project that they can help fund. Wilson stresses the Board of Education is working to be responsible with the money they have.

[audio:blueridgereferendum3.mp3]A Word From Wilson[/audio]

The Blue Ridge Board of Education's projected bond and interest rate they are asking to issue are .51 cents. The current rate is .45 cents, which would translate into about a $20 increase for a $100-thousand home per year. Wilson says for those who pay taxes through their mortgages, it would be an increase of about $1.67 per month to their house payment.

At the school's website, blueridge18.org, there is a link to a site where Blue Ridge residents can keep tabs on the progress of the project, and Wilson says they work to keep it updated as much as possible.