Dougan pleased with bond passage

By Geoffrey Woehlk | June 12, 2020 |

GEOFFREY WOEHLK/THE FORUM
A mockup of the Northeast Nodaway baseball field and practice track that will be built with funding from the no-tax-increase bond approved by voters last week. The facility will be open for use by the school and community.

RAVENWOOD, Mo. — Northeast Nodaway officials celebrated the passage of a bond measure last week to build a baseball field and practice track for school and community use.

The no-tax-increase bond passed with 62 percent of the vote.

Brenda Dougan, Northeast Nodaway superintendent, thanked the community and those who donated time to prepare the land for the project.

“We hope this facility will be utilized by the school and the community,” Dougan said in an email to The Forum. “Now that we have the green light, a lot more planning will take place. Originally, we had hoped to be playing games on the field by next spring. With the later election and the COVID-19 disruption, we will have to revisit our timeline.”

The issue, which includes $1.3 million in new bonds, was able to be approved without a tax increase by extending the existing debt service levy 10-15 years, paid for through a growth in assessed valuation and interest savings from previous refinancing and prepayments.

“We are excited for this addition to our facilities,” Dougan said.