Fountain Hills Unified School District Superintendent Kelly Glass offered an update on the upcoming override election during the June 30 School Board meeting, saying that the process is moving along according to the expected timeline.

The voter information pamphlet is completed, with the exception of pro and con statements that still need to be included. The deadline to submit those statements is Aug. 6. A fact sheet is also being finalized, which FHUSD will use to get additional details out to the community.

Also, to help keep everyone informed, an “Override” tab has been added to the district’s website at fhusd.org. This tab is located at the very top of the page, on the right. From there, visitors will be able to get the latest information concerning the override as it becomes available, as well as find links to submit pro and con statements to be included in the upcoming voter information pamphlets.

Voter information pamphlets will be mailed in September.

The Governing Board voted unanimously at its May 12 meeting to call for a District Additional Assistance (DAA) Override and a Maintenance & Operations (M&O) Override.

The last DAA Override for FHUSD, which is used for capital improvements, took effect in 2014 and brought $750,000 to the district. This type of funding typically goes to the areas of technology updates, renovations to facilities, textbooks/online resources, student transportation and furniture/equipment. It was determined FHUSD would aim to maintain this same amount of funding through a DAA Override.

If successful in this November’s election, this override would begin providing funds in the 2022/23 academic year.

FHUSD’s last M&O Override was approved in 2017 and must be approved again in the coming years if the district does not want to risk a drop-off in the funds provided.

While a DAA Override helps provide for the physical needs of a school district, an M&O Override provides for things like full-day kindergarten, teacher salary increases, professional development, student programs, etc.

Early voting will begin in October, with Election Day having the final say on both overrides this November.