http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wium/local-wium-921139.mp3
Abingdon, IL – The Bushnell Prairie City, Abingdon and Avon Committee of Ten now has an extra year to determine the feasibility of a merger between those three districts. A referendum will not appear on the ballot until at least March 2012, which is the primary date for the November 2012 election.
The referendum was originally set to go on the ballot in April 2011. But new timelines mandated by the State Board of Elections would have forced the committee to submit required documents by October 7, which is several weeks earlier than the original timeline.
Information that must be gathered includes the proposed property tax rate, the format of the election of the school board, whether bonds will be sold, and other information.
"There's an awful lot of research that has gone on, but an awful lot more that needs to go on in order to really come up with some conclusions," says Committee of Ten Chairman Jerry Arthur.
Arthur says the three communities have been very involved with the Committee of Ten so far. He says there are usually pretty good turn outs, and community members are asking good questions. For example, he says a woman asked about transportation at the group's most recent meeting... and it exemplifies just how much work the committee has left to do.
"That committee has done a wonderful job with trying to refine the [bus] routes," says Arthur. "But we're still looking at.... with what we have, is this going work? They're still trying to refine that. Transportation we expect will still be a major concern, as will finance."