NEW CONSTRUCTION

Proposal of Bond Issues

Prior to submitting a bond proposal to the electorate, the following requirements and/or practices shall be observed.

1. A petition signed by a number of qualified voters equal to twenty-five percent of those voting at the last election of school officials shall be filed with the President of the Board of Directors, asking that an election be called.

1. The petition shall include the amount and purpose of the bonds to be voted and must state that the project cannot be completed within the limits of one and one-quarter percent of the assessed valuation.
    
2. The form and content of the petition is reviewed and approved by the bond attorney to assure potential buyers of the legality of the bonds and the safety of their investment.

2. Immediately upon receipt of a petition for bonds, the Board shall inform the Board of the Area Education Agency (AEA 9).

1. The administrator of the AEA shall send information about the construction or renovation by regular mail to the Boards of school districts contiguous to the school district and to the Board of the AEA.
    
2. Within twenty days following receipt of the information, the AEA Board on the Board of a contiguous school district may request a meeting with the local Board for the purpose of discussing enrollment trends and solutions to enrollment changes, including the possibility of district reorganization.
    
3. If requested, that meeting shall be held within ten days of the request for the meeting.
    
4. The Board shall consider suggestions made at the meeting relative to alternative solutions before setting a date for the election to authorize bonds.

3. The President of the Board of Directors on receipt of a petition as specified shall, within ten days after considering the suggestions referred to in 2 d, call a meeting of the Board which shall call the election, fixing the time of the election, which may be at the time and place of holding the regular school election or may be a special election.

1. Notice must be given to the County Commissioner of Elections (County Auditor) of the time of the election. For regular elections, notice must be in time to permit publication in accordance with Section 49.53 of the Code of Iowa 1981. For special elections, notification must be provided at least thirty days before the election.
    
2. Section 49.53, Code of Iowa 1981, specifies that the commissioner shall, not less than four nor more than twenty days prior to each election, publish notice of the election. Such notice shall contain a copy, or facsimile, of the ballot to be voted on.
    
3. Section 39.2, Code of Iowa 1981, specified that special elections shall be held on Tuesday and further, that no special election may be held on the first or second Tuesday preceding or following the primary and general elections.

4. At least sixty percent of voters, voting for and against the bonds, must vote in favor in order to gain approval (Section 75.1, Code of Iowa 1981).

• Updated 4/91
• Reviewed 7/03