FORM OF NOTICE OF HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND ELECTION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board of Trustees (the "Board") of High School District No. CO, Carter County, Montana (the "District"), that pursuant to a resolution duly adopted at a meeting of the Board on February 18, 2025, an election of the registered voters of the District will be held by mail ballot election on May 6, 2025 for the purpose of voting on the question of whether the Board may sell and issue general obligation school building bonds of the District in the aggregate principal amount of up to Two Million Nine Hundred Thousand and No/100 Dollars ($2,900,000.00), for the purpose of paying the costs of designing, constructing, and equipping improvements to the Carter County High School, including replacing all or a portion of the high school building roof and making associated building envelope improvements; installing HVAC improvements to ensure adequate ventilation; replacing floor tiles throughout the school to abate asbestos; replacing the gymnasium floor; related improvements and costs (collectively, the "Project"); and paying costs associated with the sale and issuance of the bonds. The bonds shall bear interest at a rate or rates to be determined at the time of sale and be payable semiannually during a term of not more than five (5) years.
If the bond election passes, based on the taxable value of the District, the property taxes on a home with an assessed market value for tax purposes of $100,000 would increase by $12.19 in the first year, of $200,000 would increase by $24.38 in the first year, and of $300,000 would increase by $36.57 in the first year. An increase in property taxes may lead to an increase in rental costs.
Proceeds of the bonds will be used only to pay costs of the Project and associated costs of issuance of the bonds and will not be used for any other purpose, including, without limitation, teacher or staff housing, except that if proceeds of the bonds remain at completion of the Project, such remaining proceeds will be transferred to the debt service account and used to pay the bonds.
The election will be conducted by the District Clerk solely by mail ballot. Ballots will be mailed to all eligible registered voters in the District on April 17, 2025, and must be returned by each voter, by mail to the District Clerk's office, Ekalaka Public Schools, P.O. Box 458, Ekalaka, MT 59324. In the alternative, ballots may be delivered in person to the District Clerk's Office, Ekalaka Public Schools, 111 W. Speelmon Street, Ekalaka, Montana, during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) Monday through Thursday (exclusive of holidays), April 18, 2025 through May 5, 2025.
On Election Day, May 6, 2025, the only place for deposit of voted ballots will be the District Clerk's Office, Ekalaka Public Schools, 111 W. Speelmon Street, Ekalaka, Montana, by 8:00 p.m. in order to be counted. All ballots will be counted on May 6, 2025, in accordance with Montana law with the results, if known, expected to be released after 8:00 p.m. on that day.
A qualified voter who will be absent from the District during the time the election is being conducted may:
(a)
vote in person in the office of the District Clerk as soon as the ballots are available and until 8:00 p.m. Election Day; or
(b) make a written request prior to noon on May 5, 2025, signed by the applicant and addressed to the office of the District Clerk requesting the ballot be mailed to an address other than that which appears on the registration records.
An elector may obtain a replacement ballot if his or her ballot is destroyed, spoiled, lost, or not received by the elector by filling out and mailing, emailing, or faxing back a completed replacement ballot request form or by the elector personally appearing at the District Clerk's Office, Ekalaka Public Schools, 111 W. Speelmon Street, Ekalaka, Montana.
Ballots may be returned in person at the place of deposit listed above, or returned by mail. If returning by mail, please use the then-prevailing first-class-postage price or one Forever Stamp. Postmark date does not apply; ballots returned by mail must be received at the District Clerk's Office by the 8:00 p.m. Election Day deadline to be counted.
Please note, all electors, as defined in Section 20-20-301, M.C.A., are those who reside within the District and are registered to vote by the close of registration on April 7, 2025.
For electors who miss the close of registration deadline, such electors may register late and vote in the election by appearing in person at the Carter County Election Office, at 214 Park Street, Ekalaka, Montana and providing to the County Election Administrator the electors' voter registration information in verifiable form prior to 8 p.m. on May 6, 2025.
DATED this __1__day of April, 2025.
/s/Brittani Brence District Clerk
Publication Dates: April 11, 2025, April 18, 2025, and April 25, 2025
