By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The magic number for the Niles Community School's bond proposal is 2,501. That is the amount of votes Superintendent Doug Law said were necessary in order for the proposed $105 million bond to pass.
Nearly 200 people attended Monday night's NCS bond proposal recruiter rally in the Niles High School auditorium. Law, along with Terry Blanchard of Owen-Ames-Kimball and the bond proposal steering committee chair Tracy Ezell, laid out the plan they hope will deliver a successful vote on Feb. 28.
Those in attendance were encouraged to pick up one of 250 packets in the gymnasium that would help each person convince friends, family members and neighbors to vote yes on the proposal.
Inside the packets, Blanchard said, was material that could be used to keep in touch with those that had been contacted and showed an interest in giving a positive vote. Among the contents was a letter from the committee asking for a commitment to pursue 10 voters, a form to record and track voters who had initially said they would support the issue, postcards that could be self-addressed by the possible voters, plus ribbons and beads that would remind those who had taken the packets to nail down the 10 positive voters they had committed to.
In his presentation, Law briefly went over the proposal by the steering committee, which has recommended the plan for seven mills over 32 years. Law also warned the time to start the project was now.
Blanchard, who said he has 18 years of experience in bond campaigns, held a similar position as Law.
The proposed plan would involve closing four buildings, constructing a new high school and filling the current high school with sixth, seventh and eighth graders and administrative offices.
Renovations to elementary schools, the plan read, would also be necessary.