School district faces tough financial decisions

GWINN — Voters in Forsyth, Sands, and West Branch Townships said ‘no’ to a bond proposal and a sinking fund millage that were on the ballot Tuesday for Gwinn Area Community Schools, sending school administrators back to the drawing board on what to do next.

Gwinn Schools Superintendent Tom Jayne told ABC 10 today that he thanks the public for going to the polls and voting, regardless of Tuesday’s outcome. He added that the school district would have to address its critical needs, which include one or two new roofs, new buses, a new heating system, and other upgrades.

Determining which things get upgraded first is undecided at this point.

“You have to get your students to school, so our buses are critical, and then the safety of the buildings and the heating of the buildings are your critical issues,” said Jayne. “The other issues that are then taken off of the table will someday rear themselves again. There’s going to be the day where the roof has to be replaced, the HVAC system has to be augmented, and our technology has to be updated.”

Jayne added that the defeat of both proposals would not effect any personnel positions for the upcoming 2015–16 school year. The district may put more proposals back on the ballot for voters to decide on this coming May.