GENTRY — A ribbon cutting at the new Pioneer Activities Complex has been set for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, culminating plans which were put before the voters more than a year ago when 178 voters in the Gentry School District cast their ballots in the annual school election and 120 of those voters approved restructuring bonds to fund the project.

Voters approved the issuance of $3,600,000 in bonded debt to retire the March 1 and Aug. 1, 2002, bonds and provide approximately $3,000,000 in project funds for the new athletic facility without any increase in the current 42.90 millage rate used to collect taxes from property owners within the district. It was estimated that a sports complex meeting the district’s needs could be built for a price tag of $3 million or less, though actual costs haveexceeded that amount by approximately $456,000 (not including furnishings which are not built in). Payments to retire the new bond will be scheduled through fiscal year 2037.

This followed a survey in the spring of 2012 which indicatedsupport for the new facility project. Of 91 people who voluntarily completed the survey, 66 answered a question regarding the facility and 78 percent of those voiced a willingness to build the new facility even if it meant an increase in the millage rate. No millage increasewas needed to complete the project.

Plans for the new facility were approved and construction began last spring. A change order to build a new concession stand was approved in August and an additional cost of $480.000 was allowed.

An additional 70 days is allowed for the construction of the concession stand, so construction is expected to be under way shortly.

News, Pages 1 on 10/30/2013