District 95 to issue $4.1 million in bonds

A $4.1 million bond issue has been approved by the Carbondale Elementary School District 95 Board of Education, with the funds going toward a new heating and cooling system at Carbondale Middle School.

Eric Trimberger, district business manager, told the board in a July 8 public hearing, held at the beginning of the board's regular monthly meeting, that the $4.1 million in general obligation bonds would be paid off over five years, with proceeds from the district's 1-percent sales tax.

Trimberger said the total cost of CMS' new heating and air-conditioning system would be $9.4 million. Around $5.5 million would be covered by a grant from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, which is part of the federal Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

CMS' current HVAC system is 20 years old, and is at the end of its service life, Trimberger said. Work to install the new HVAC equipment would be scheduled for summer 2022, he said.

Later in the meeting, the board, with President Catherine Field, Vice President John Major, Secretary Carlee Coplea and members Corey Cawthon, Erin Connelly and Markida Roper, voted unanimously to approve the bond issue.

In other business, the board approved the following in 7-0 votes:

• A $3 million interfund loan from working cash to the educational fund.

• Adopting a new English language arts (ELA) curriculum for CMS, "Into Literature", at a cost of $115,468.25.