An area school district has a battle on its hands when it presents a building project proposal to voters next month.
Officials at Manchester Community Schools are looking to spend $16.6-million on facility improvements, including moving the main offices to near the front entrances of all their school buildings as an improvement to school safety.
“In this world, we have to have a situation where when a visitor comes into our building, they’re in a controlled setting. They can’t move through,” says interim Superintendent Mike Pettibone, speaking to ABC 21.
The bulk of the spending, however, would be on improvements and additions for sporting events – such as new artificial turf for the high school football field and a new fieldhouse – which opponents say is the real focus instead of safety.
If approved, homeowners within the district would have to pay an extra $70 a year in property taxes on a home worth $100,000.
