By Malcolm Butler
When voters in the Ruston school district go to the polls in April, they will have an opportunity to decide on a renewal of a 17.75 percent millage, that if passed, would raise $65 million over the next 20 years.
The current millage of 17.75 percent expires on December 31, 2024.
According to Lincoln Parish School Board Superintendent Ricky Durrett, the funds would be used solely for a capital improvement plan within the district.
This plan would include combining Ruston Elementary, Cypress Springs Elementary, Glen View Elementary and Hillcrest Elementary into two schools that would house pre-K through fifth grade. Hillcrest and Glen View would be renovated to house the additional students.
Part of the funds would also go to either renovating Cypress Springs into a new central office for the Lincoln Parish School Board or finding a different location for the new office. Ruston High would also benefit from the tax dollars with the construction of a new covered turf-field multi-purpose facility as well as upgrades to the Ruston High baseball complex.
If the Ruston school district millage passes, Durrett said a tentative timetable would have construction on the first school starting in January of 2024 (and operational by August of 2026). Construction on the second school would start in January of 2025 (and be be operational by August of 2027), taking approximately two years to complete each of the projects. Durrett said he wasn’t sure which school would be renovated first and stressed that time frames were fluid.
Durrett said that over the course of the next few months, the Lincoln Parish School Board will hold public meetings at various schools to explain further details for the plan while also answering any questions that parents, teachers or the general public may have.
Below is a breakdown of the $65 million which are preliminary costs and inclusive of fees for professional services.
Hillcrest Elementary ($25,410,000)
$23,168,700 — New additions of classrooms, multi-purpose gym, lobby and administration offices, restrooms, storage
$635,500 — New covered bus drop-off and extended sidewalks
$190,300 — New parent pick-up driveway
$573,600 — Parking lot additions and extended driveway
$461,700 — Cafeteria improvements
$271,600 — New playground equipment
$108,600 — Landscaping
Glen View Elementary (27,454,000)
24,479,800 — New addition of classrooms, multi-purpose gym, new lobby and administration offices, restrooms, storage
$1,255,000 — New covered canopy for parent drop-off, new covered bus drop-off, extended sidewalk
$242,500 — New parent pick-up driveway
$634,800 — Parking lot additions and extended driveway
$461,700 — Cafeteria improvements
$271,600 — New playground equipment
$108,600 — Landscaping
Central Office Relocation ($5,000,000)
Renovate Cypress Springs Elementary Campus (or another facility) or new construction
Ruston High School ($4,951,000)
$4,621,000 — New covered multi-purpose facility, including artificial turf, site work, and landscaping
$330,000 — relocate existing road
Ruston High Baseball Complex ($2,185,000)
$2,130,000 — New 500-seat grandstand with press box, including concrete base and demolition of old grandstand
$55,000 — Replace backstop and fencing
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