Ozark voters will see two questions from Ozark School District on the April 2022 ballot — a $19 million no tax increase bond issue to construct three storm shelters, and a 10 cent no tax increase levy transfer to help offset rising operating costs.

“Safety continues to be a top priority for Ozark School District and the families of Ozark,” Superintendent Dr. Chris Bauman said. “The two questions on the ballot will not only address safety but help us accommodate our continued growth.”

The decision to place the questions on the April ballot comes after completing a demographic study and collecting feedback from the community during a series of Long Range Planning Committee meetings this fall. The Ozark community has continually ranked safety at the top of our long range planning criteria.

“We have appreciated the enthusiastic and comprehensive involvement of the community in working with us on this plan,” Board President Tom Bass said. “The community has supported the need for continuing safety measures, and we have also taken into consideration increased growth within the District. In this plan, we address safety as well as future growth for the community and the school district. All of this will be accomplished without asking our community for a tax increase.”

Read the full release here.

Adding storm shelters at Tiger Paw, OMS and OHS would mean all of our facilities will have a storm shelter. The Ozark community has continually ranked safety at the top of our long range planning criteria.

The no tax increase levy transfer will reallocate 10 cents from our debt service fund to our operating expenses fund

• In 2021 we were required to transfer 17 cents to our debt service fund due to increased real estate assessments

• We are required to ask the voters to transfer 10 cents back into our operating expenses fund

• This transfer will provide approx. $500,000 annually to help offset rising operating costs

Email specific questions to ozarkcommunications@ozarktigers.org.