The following consists of my own personal views and not that of the Fountain Hills Unified School District.

On June 12, 2013, the Fountain Hills Unified School District Governing Board voted to place two measures on the November ballot for the citizens of Fountain Hills. The board vote was based on a recommendation from an advisory group of citizens, parents, and staff which began meeting in the spring of 2013.

The committee’s task was to examine educational funding for Fountain Hills Unified School District, to consider current and proposed program offerings, and to recommend a course of action for the Governing Board that may or may not include a recommendation to seek a renewal/expansion of its existing budget overrides and capital bond program through an approval by the voters of the district.

One of the committee’s recommendations to the Governing Board was for an $8 million bond to address student safety and security, renovations and improvements to existing school buildings and facilities, technology, and pupil transportation vehicles. The committee also recommended the establishment of a citizens’ bond oversight committee to oversee and have input on the bond plan going forward.

For example, in a recent edition of this publication a headline mentioned that the bond includes artificial turf on the high school football field. Actually, the bond calls for improvements to school sites and athletic facilities that were based on an initial needs assessment. The decision on field renovations, whether artificial turf or sod, will be made with guidance from an oversight committee based on the best interest of the students, the district, and the community, and in compliance with the projects listed in the bond ballot question.