Ozark board approves spending to review new school sites

It’s down to two.
Ozark City Schools superintendent Mike Lenhart said the school board approved spending up to $21,000 in engineering studies for a new high school on two pieces of land: property south of Roy Parker Road, near U.S. Highway 231, or on the existing Carroll High School campus.
Discussions to build in place of the half-century old high school have taken place for years. As far as Lenhart knew, the engineering study will be the first within the last couple years the system has gotten as far in its plans.
After the survey, Lenhart said there would be at least two public forums.
“Both of these sites are feasible and therefore warranting us to proceed to the next step on soil and traffic and environmental impact, in order to make a package to the public and let them know pros and cons,” he said.
“After those meetings we can determine if we want to build a new high school, or if we want to add on.”
Cost, Lenhart said, will be the next phase. Previous reports showed a new high school could cost anywhere between $24 million and $36 million.
“Right now, we don’t have enough revenue to fund a debt service. We do have enough money from a state bond issue to purchase land,” he said.
“But this survey is movement. This is progress.”