By Christian Coffman

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — The Natchez-Adams School Board voted in a specially called meeting with little prior notice given Wednesday morning to borrow $9 million to help fund a school construction and renovation project.

Superintendent Fred Butcher said the loan was passed by the majority of the board members present. The money would be repaid through a limited tax note.

Notice of the meeting was sent by email to school officials and the media a mere three hours and 33 minutes prior to the start.

Kevin Wilson, who organized a petition against the school board borrowing the money, said he and other concerned citizens have hired attorneys and they intend to challenge Wednesday’s vote in court.

“We will fight this for the next five years if we have to,” Wilson said. “We are going to go after the school board, (school board member) Phillip West and maybe the (Adams County) Board of Supervisors for the school system getting in this kind of mess.”

The $9 million would be used for repairs for existing schools and to begin construction of new buildings. The district is authorized to levy up to 3 mills to pay off the $9 million, limited tax note at 4-percent interest for 20 years.

Since the board approved the resolution of intent to borrow the $9 million on June 29, a petition effort was formed to force the issue onto a November ballot for voters to decide.

Butcher said the board passed the resolution acknowledging that the board of trustees did not receive a petition with the sufficient number of signatures to force a vote.

More than 3,300 signatures were acquired, but during the 2-week window given to allow residents to file a petition, the 20-percent threshold of qualified electors in the county was not reached, meaning the school board could borrow the money without voter approval.

Butcher said the resolution also gave final approval to borrow an amount not exceeding $9 million for purposes including transportation, equipment purchases, repairing and renovating equipment, facilities and purchasing land or performing site work for the construction of buildings.

Butcher said a specific date has not been set for when the money would be borrowed.

“Our financial advisors and bond counsel (are) now (starting) the work of preparing the necessary documents to move this process forward,” Butcher said.

Wilson, who has been against the passing of the loan, said Wednesday he estimates his taxes would increase by $20,000 annually.

Wilson and others had hoped the board would give the organizers more time to collect signatures.

Wilson said school board attorney Bruce Kuehnle never contacted him about the meeting.

“I walked into his office several times this week and he wasn’t there,” Wilson said. “I left messages and he never called me.”

Wilson said he ultimately found out about the meeting after the fact. Wilson said people who were not elected to office are effectively raising taxes.

“This is far from over,” Wilson said. “We are going to fight this thing. There is no doubt about it, we are going to prevail in the end.”

During the meeting in which the organizers requested more time, school board member Phillip West said racist motives were behind the petition effort. The statement caused petitioners to react, which devolved the meeting into chaos and it was recessed and continued later.

Wilson said he and others would look to sue West for defamation of character, slander and intimidation by fear.

The petition effort followed a May 23 special election in which Adams County voters rejected the school district’s general obligation bond plan to borrow $35 million for the district-wide renovation and construction project.

To pursue the district’s original plans to construct a new high school, renovate Natchez High School into a middle school and improve other schools, the board would have to raise an additional $25 million. The $25 million would be paid for through a building lease program, allowed by state law provided the district does not raise taxes to fund the lease program.

Butcher said the district would continue the work of educating students.

“Once this process is completed, funds will be used to make certain that the students in Natchez-Adams School District attend safe schools with the needed renovations to bring our buildings up to 21st century standards,” Butcher said.

West could not be reached for comment.

Board President Amos James could not be reached for comment.