CARTHAGE, Mo. — Area voters will hit the polls a week from tomorrow. In Carthage, they’ll decide on a 26-million-dollar school bond issue.
Big changes could be coming on campus at Carthage High School.
“We’ll be voting on a new performing arts center on campus and a baseball field on campus to no tax rate increase, which means our taxes will not change due to this project,” said Mark Baker, Carthage R-9 Supt.
It’s a 26-million-dollar bond question.
If approved, the performing arts center would be new to the campus, since students are currently using the auditorium at the 6th-grade center.
“The performing arts center was designed to be the centerpiece of the entire 80 acres. You drive right in from George Phelps Boulevard, and that’s where it’s going to be right in the center of the campus,” said Baker.
The baseball stadium would also be new to the high school site.
The team had been using Carl Lewton Stadium, also known as Rock Stadium, in Municipal Park on the North side of town.
But the bleachers, concession stands, restrooms, and press box have been condemned and will be demolished.
The upgrades also add extra safety for storm season.
“I think the big thing about the new building is it’ll provide a new tornado shelter which we do not have something on the high school campus you think about 1700 staff and students will have a place to go for safety during the storm, but also just the newer versions of things that we can teach our kids with the new performing arts center,” said Baker.
Preliminary plans call for the performing arts center to sit directly south of the high school, while the baseball field would be built to the Northeast.
Voters will decide next Tuesday.
