by Theodore Wiesehan

    The $4.7 million bond issue for Centennial Schools passed by an overwhelming 450-259 vote in the May 15 special election.
     "The people spoke loudly about what they expected to have done," Centennial Superintendent Dr. Brian Maher said. "We're very pleased with that and I look forward to getting that process started before I leave."
     The bond will pay for the construction of a fine arts center (including a 550-seat auditorium), sprinkler systems throughout the school and an addition to the building's main entrance, including the relocation of an administrative office to the front entrance to improve school security.
     "The first thing I though was just what a great victory for all the school community," Centennial School Board Chairman Mike Tomes said. "We want our students to have a safe and secure environment in the school."
     Tomes said that this will be Centennial's first building addition to benefit the fine arts in the school's 30-year history.
     "The board certainly hopes that the auditorium will be used on a regular basis to benefit all students and the community," he said.
     With the bond issue passed, now the hard work of studying and planning begins for the board and volunteer committee members.
     "The buildings and grounds committee will go to work. Already next week, we will go to work with Bahr, Vermeer & Haecker [the architectural firm working with the school] on the actual design of the building and building plans," Tomes said. "There will be visits to other fine arts facilities by committee members...we've already had volunteers come forward [to serve on planning committees]."
     "This was very important to get the bond passed, but now we feel like we're just at the beginning," Christie Tomes, a Centennial parent who helped head up a citizen's group to raise awareness and publicity for the bond issue, said. "Now that it's passed it's so important just to check everything out and see what works best."
     Mike Tomes said that the construction is estimated to last 15 months and should begin this fall.
     "We'd love to have it [finished] for the beginning of the 2008 school year," he said, "but it will probably be more like Christmas-time."
    Voting by precinct
     Vote totals for polling areas were:
     - Utica - 245 for, 160 against;
     - Waco - 164 for, 89 against; and
     - absentee - 41 for, 10 against.