Jefferson City School District voters likely will be asked next year to approve building a second high school, a 12th elementary school and to add classrooms to Callaway Hills Elementary.
Although they took no official vote during a two-hour work session Monday night, the seven-member Board of Education couldn't agree to hold a special election this November on any of those proposals - nor did they choose any specific date next year.
"The board's been working really hard to try to make sure we didn't lose the opportunity to go in November," President John Ruth told the News Tribune after Monday's meeting, "and I think we've got a really good starting spot.
"But there's a lot of complexities."
The meeting's first hour included a presentation from Lorenzo Boyd of St. Louis, managing director of the Stifel, Nicolaus and Co.'s "Missouri K-12 Finance Team," discussing the various options the board could take in presenting a proposal to voters.
Those options include a general obligation bond issue of $20 million for the elementary projects and $140 million for the second high school, with a total tax increase of $1.08 for each $100 of assessed property values - or an increase of almost $1.11 per $100 assessed value if the district chose a lease-purchase option.
A bond issue would have required a two-thirds voter approval during a special election this November, but would need only a four-sevenths majority in any of the scheduled elections next year.
The lease-purchase idea would need only a simple majority vote, no matter when it appeared on a ballot.
But, board members noted, the Jefferson City and Cole County governments each will be asking voters next year to extend the half-cent sales taxes for another five years - with the county's issue on the April 2016 ballot and the city's issue in August.
If the school district agrees not to place their tax-increase request on the same ballot, then they would be seeking voters' approval during the November 2016 election - which already includes the U.S. President, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt's re-election bid and statewide races for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general - not to mention several possible constitutional amendments.
Board member Doug Whitehead said he was concerned waiting until November 2016 might create too much voter confusion for the school district's issues.
"I'm worried about high turnout in November 2016," Whitehead said, "but 2017's too late, in my opinion."
Michael Couty, one of two new board members, served on the Long-Range Facilities Committee that recommended the second high school and elementary projects.
"This is the right plan," he said. "But I'm really hesitant about going in (this) November.
"I don't think its the right time."
Board Member Steve Bruce agreed.
"I don't think there's any question this is the right plan (but) we don't have hard data at this point," Bruce said.
"I would hate to go forward, not having some good data to make a decision on."
Dennis Nickelson had said at several previous meetings the board should consider putting the elementary schools question on this November's ballot, because that would have the new elementary completed in time for the 2017-18 school year.
But, he said Monday: "I don't think there's a consensus" among the board to make that decision, or to split the issues into two different elections.
As for waiting until the November 2016 general election, Nickelson said: "We could embrace the fact that there will be high turnout, and ask voters to vote for the president and vote on the future of your community."
Partly because he's been on-the-job only 36 days, new Superintendent Larry Linthacum advised the board to spend more time developing a communications plan.
"I'm still learning about the district, talking with people about what they think is ... best for kids," he said. "People want to feel valued - do we listen? Do we care what they say?"
He told the News Tribune after the meeting: "If we're asking for $140 million or $150 million, that's a lot of money.
"So I just would feel more comfortable to wait, to where we can show the value added in and what it's going to do for our community."