G-R board sets another public hearing on dissolution

Residents of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck district will have another chance to voice their support or opposition to the proposed dissolution plan after the board of education voted unanimously at last Thursday night’s meeting to set a hearing for Monday, July 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school commons area.
           
Before the public vote, which could come as early as September, board members hoped to clear up any confusion and ensure that patrons knew what they were doing heading into the booth: “yes” means that a voter wishes to dissolve the district, and “no” means that he or she wishes to reject the dissolution and keep G-R intact in its current form.
           
“It needs to be very clear,” board member Doug Rowe said.
           
Rowe also cited rampant misinformation, including a report in the Times-Republican that incorrectly indicated that the school board had the power to unilaterally dissolve the district without a public vote, as a hurdle that the board would have to jump over in the run-up to the referendum.
           
Members went on to discuss property tax rates in the neighboring districts (if the dissolution passes, the current territory of G-R will be split between Dike-New Hartford, GMG, Grundy Center, Hudson and North Tama) along with public relations efforts and a potential resolution that would affirm the board’s opposition to the dissolution. The board urged Superintendent David Hill to use the media and other avenues to encourage citizens to vote “no,” and he agreed that he would do so if he had its formal backing.
 
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