Prop One

A bond is a way for a school district to meet capital project needs by using debt. Districts use a tax rate to pay off the debt over time. The bond can pay for capital projects like facilities and equipment but may not be used for regular operational costs like salaries or supplies.

The district has a facilities master plan, originally created in 2016 in partnership with Hollis+Miller Architects . This plan is updated annually and projects are completed as needed and funds are available. Some smaller projects can be completed each summer using funds available in Fund 4. 

To create the list of projects for Prop One, administration considered the biggest needs, along with the district’s bond capacity, and community feedback from the fall survey.

In 2020, voters passed Prop N - a $22.7 million, zero-tax-rate increase bond. Prior to that, the last bond issue was in 2007 - a $12 million, zero-tax-rate increase. That’s two bond issues in 20 years. 

The school district maintains $220 million worth of facilities including 510,000 square feet under roof. If you’re a homeowner, you can understand that things break, roofs need to be replaced, and sometimes you need to renovate or expand for additional space.

Once a bond issue passes and the district sells the bonds, it has three years to complete the projects using the funds. Due to the on-going maintenance and need to improve and expand facilities, many districts run bond issues on a three-year cycle. You’ll see some districts propose bond issues at an even higher rate based on growth. 

We had a 13-year stretch (2007-2020) during which we did very little to upkeep or maintain facilities. With the passage of Prop N in 2020, we completed as many projects as we could using the available funds (see below)). We are now seeking to continue the work to enhance safety, keep facilities up-to-date, and improve student opportunities. 

For school districts, bond issues are part of doing business in order to keep buildings and student opportunities moving forward. In April, multiple Cass County school districts have zero tax rate increase bond issues on the ballot including Archie, Belton, and Raymore-Peculiar.

Harrisonville High School
Roof replacement (all but science, math, art, foreign language wing-eastside)
HVAC replacement (85%)
Secure entry & main office renovation
Security glass on classroom windows and exterior doors
Hallway flooring (partial)

Cass Career Center
Parking lot improvements
Secure entry and office renovation
Welding renovations include electrical, ventilation, and roof repair
Ag renovations, new classrooms
Fire Science renovations & additions
EMT classroom & training additions
New Greenhouse
Nursing Addition (Paid for through grant funding)

Harrisonville Middle School
Sidewalk, storm water improvements
West drive improvements - crack fill and seal coat and full depth asphalt replacement
West sidewalk & retaining wall repairs
Cafeteria & kitchen renovations
Main office renovation
Security glass on classroom windows and exterior doors
Hallway collaboration area on 2nd floor
Makerspace renovation
Hallway flooring (partial)
Gym roof replacement; also special education & HATS
HVAC improvement
Track resurfacing

McEowen Elementary School
Roof replacement (gym, cafeteria, library, part of north wing)
HVAC replacement (60%)
Main office renovation
Hallway flooring 
New Playground & fencing
Security glass on classroom windows and exterior doors

Harrisonville Elementary School
Metal roof replacement & repair (all but east addition)
New Playground
Main office renovation with conference room
Security glass on classroom windows and exterior doors
Acoustical treatment in cafeteria

Early Childhood Center
Parking & stormwater improvements (east parking area)
New playground & fencing
Secure entry and main office additions
Security glass on classroom windows and exterior doors
Cafeteria storage and kitchen serving area renovation

Across Multiple Buildings
Technology Infrastructure & wireless upgrades
Fire system upgrades

Below are photos from some of the Prop N projects.

Harrisonville receives funding from two main sources: local and state, while a few other sources provide additional revenue. The breakdown is as follows:

• Local: 59%
• County: 3%
• State: 30%
• Federal: 6%
• Other Districts: 2%

In terms of expenditures, 67% of the operating budget goes to fund salaries and benefits for district staff. Another 25% is used for purchased services which includes our contracts for transportation, food service, and custodial maintenance. Purchased services also include utilities and insurance. The other 8% of the operating budget goes to supplies.

Prop One is a zero tax rate increase bond issue. This means that the school’s tax rate will not change based on the outcome of the election. The tax rate is $5.4772. 

This is possible because the district has demonstrated responsible financial management including the refinancing of existing bonds. The district is able to “borrow” the $38 million in bond funds and use the current tax rate to service the debt

Prop One requires zero tax rate increase to our school district’s tax levy. Your own property’s assessed valuation may increase due to additions or other factors the assessor determines that could affect your personal tax bill.

Bond funds can only be used for capital improvements. The funds cannot be used for day-to-day expenditures such as operational costs or salaries.

Public schools in Missouri must ask for approval from taxpayers to take on debt.  

In addition to the new HES drop-off/pick-up loop (read more below), Prop One projects include the rekeying of doors throughout the district, the replacement of hollow core doors, and an upgraded fire system at Harrisonville High School.

In rekeying district doors, we will ensure that both internal and external doors are secure and only the appropriate staff have required keys. 

Hollow-core doors are being replaced to enhance classroom safety. Solid-core doors provide a stronger, more secure barrier during emergency situations.

The fire system at HHS will get an upgrade.

Other building fire systems were upgraded with Prop N in 2020 and McEowen’s system was upgraded using capital projects funds.

Currently, parents and caregivers line up on both sides of Harrisonville Elementary School (Meghan and Matt Streets) for drop-off and pick-up. The line on Meghan can often extend to Orient Cemetery Road and both lines can block residents’ driveways. 

The new loop would extend into the school property on the north and east sides of HES which would provide room for more cars to line up on school property. All cars would enter on Meghan and exit on Matt. Currently, cars entering on Meghan, exit back onto Meghan and cars on Matt exit on Meghan. 

The new loop would alleviate a lot of the congestion in the area and improve safety for both students and drivers.

The project would also include additional parking on the south side of the school.

Roof and HVAC replacement were part of the last bond. Why are they part of this bond?

With the passage of the last bond issue in 2020, many roofs and heating & cooling systems were replaced using the funds available at the time. We started with the areas of most need.

Prop One will complete re-roofing of district buildings which began in 2020 with Prop N. Most of ECC and CCC will be updated and the remaining roofs on HES, McEowen, HMS, and HHS will be done. On the diagrams below, purple indicates roofs replaced in 2020 and yellow indicates roofs to be replaced through Prop One.

Prop One will also continue the heating and cooling updates which began with Prop N with the replacement of RTUs at McEowen, HES, and HHS; a chiller at HES; and a chiller and boiler at HMS, and a new HVAC for the CCC EMT program. Rooftop units last about 15 years. Prop One heating & cooling projects include:

• ECC - Replace air exchange units
• HES - Replace 2 RTUs on gym & chiller
• McEowen - Replaced 60% of RTUs in 2020; Prop One would finish out the remaining 40%
• HMS - Replace chiller & boiler
• HHS - Replaced 85% of RTUs in 2020; Prop One would finish out the remaining 15%
• CCC - New HVAC in EMT

The Performing Arts Center is one of the most-used facilities in our district. This is evident in the fact that the PAC is booked for performances or events on 21 nights out of 50 weekdays in the next three months, not including practices or rehearsals.

The facility is used by all grade levels for concerts, performances, and student recognition events. During the school day, it is also a classroom for choir, band, and drama and for grade-level meetings and speakers. 

Additionally, the PAC is available to the public and it is used for recitals, awards nights, and community gatherings.

Prop One upgrades to the HHS Performing Arts Center will include new seats and new curtain, as well as renovations to the lobby and restroom areas. 

There have been no updates to the facility since it was built in 1999.

Our Wildcat tennis teams currently use the courts at Harrisonville City Park. However, those courts have become costly to maintain to competition standards. By relocating the courts to school property, we can improve safety by eliminating travel to practice/home meets. Six courts will also allow us to host tournaments. At this time, we cannot host tournaments.

Finally, our tennis teams are growing. This fall, we had 24 girls on the team.

A new, shared turf facility with adjustable fencing and bases and a new concession/restroom building will alleviate ongoing maintenance and care costs. Currently the district must pay for mowing and field maintenance, as well as septic tanking pumping for the restrooms at the fields. 

Additionally, the baseball field is oriented incorrectly. Baseball/softball fields should face east/northeast so that the setting sun is not in the batter’s eyes. The new positioning would correct that issue.

Finally, five out of six of our conference opponents have turf facilities.  Having these updated facilities means that our spectators, families, and players have the necessary facilities that we would expect for our successful Wildcat teams.

A new multi-use facility at HHS will provide practice space for activities who currently have no designated space or inadequate space including our growing girls’ wrestling team, cheer & dance. The facility could provide indoor practice space for band, baseball, softball, soccer, & football as well as room for staff professional development meetings and community events.

At the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, the district shifted grades levels in order to expand preschool offerings. McEowen now houses grades 3-5. Future increases in enrollment will stretch capacity.

All the projects that are listed on this webpage are the priority projects. It is our intent that they will all be completed with the passage of Prop One. If we have additional funds available - bids come in under projections or we have cost savings in other ways - then, we do have a list of secondary projects that we will begin to review. We are not talking about those secondary projects as we will only be able to do those with cost savings from the priority projects.

School district bond issues are designed to fund capital improvements, such as building renovations, facility upgrades, and infrastructure needs. By law, bond funds cannot be used for operational expenses like salaries, curriculum materials, or everyday classroom supplies. Because of this, most academic programs, resources, and instructional needs are funded through the district’s operating budget, rather than through bond projects.

That said, bond projects can still support academics—often in indirect but meaningful ways.

For example, the district’s 2020 bond issue, Proposition N, included improvements at the Cass Career Center that expanded academic opportunities for students. Projects included a new EMT classroom and training area, expanded agriculture classrooms and a new greenhouse, improvements to the fire science training area, and renovation of the welding shop. These facility upgrades allowed the district to expand hands-on learning opportunities and career-focused coursework for students.

Bond projects are also commonly used to build additional classroom space when enrollment increases. Proposition One includes plans for additional classrooms at McEowen Elementary. While the district completed a grade-level shift last year that helped balance enrollment across buildings, projections show that future enrollment growth could eventually stretch McEowen’s capacity. Planning ahead ensures the district will have adequate learning space if and when those increases occur. At this time, however, enrollment projections indicate minimal or manageable growth at other buildings, so additional classrooms are not currently needed elsewhere.

Other proposed projects will support programs that are part of the school day as well as extracurricular opportunities. Renovations to the Performing Arts Center will benefit several co-curricular programs at Harrisonville High School, including band, choir, and drama. During the school day, these programs use the facility as a classroom space for rehearsals, concert preparation, technical theatre instruction, and class performances. The facility is also used for grade-level meetings and guest speakers.

Similarly, upgrades and expansion of activity facilities will help the district support continued growth in student activities. Both the girls’ tennis and wrestling programs have experienced increased participation in recent years. Expanding and improving facilities allows the district to accommodate that growth and continue offering a wide range of opportunities for student involvement. Research consistently shows that students who participate in extracurricular and co-curricular activities—such as athletics, band, choir, and drama—tend to demonstrate stronger academic performance and higher levels of engagement in school.

While bond funds primarily address facilities, the district continues to focus heavily on academic improvement through its operating budget and instructional initiatives.

Over the past three years, the district has prioritized its curriculum alignment with Missouri Learning Standards. Teachers and administrators have spent significant professional development time reviewing curriculum, analyzing student performance data, collaborating on instructional best practices, and updating instructional resources. During this time, the district has invested operating funds in new resources including middle school English language arts and math materials, Structured Literacy resources for grades K–2, a universal screener for grades K–8, and updated foreign language materials.

The district has also expanded real-world learning opportunities for high school students. In 2022, the district received a grant through the Kauffman Foundation’s Real World Learning initiative. Through this work, students participate in Client-Connected Projects that partner them with local businesses and organizations to solve real-world problems. In addition, more than 56 students have participated in semester-long internships, gaining hands-on experience in career fields they plan to pursue after graduation.

Finally, the district has expanded its preschool program to strengthen early learning opportunities. Research shows that students who attend at least one year of preschool enter kindergarten with stronger foundational skills and are better prepared for early academic success. This year, the district increased preschool enrollment by 30 students, giving more children the opportunity to begin their education with a strong start.

Together, these ongoing academic initiatives—combined with strategic facility improvements funded through bond issues—help ensure the district can continue supporting student success both inside and outside the classroom.

Shall Harrisonville Cass R-IX School District issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $38,000,000, without any estimated increase to the District’s debt service property tax levy, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, repairing, renovating, furnishing and equipping school sites and facilities, including safety, security and technology upgrades; traffic pattern improvements and improvements throughout the District; repairing and replacing roofs and HVAC systems; facility upgrades including the performing arts center, tennis courts and a baseball/softball field; and construction of a multi-use facility? 

If this question is approved, the District’s debt service property tax levy is estimated to remain unchanged at $1.4682 per $100 dollars of assessed valuation of real and personal property. 

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Prop One needs a 4/7 majority or 57.1% to pass.

Anyone in the school district, not just the city limits of Harrisonville.

March 11

You can visit the Cass County clerk’s website - https://www.casscounty.com/2356/Voter-Registration - to download, print and complete the Voter Registration form. You can drop it off or mail it to the clerk’s office, 102 E. Wall. If you are registering to vote for the first time and mailing the form, you must include a copy current or valid photo ID, current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address, birth certificate, Native American tribal document or other proof of United States citizenship.

Or you can visit the clerk’s office at 102 E. Wall between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. to complete a form in person.

The state of Missouri allows two options for voting prior to Election Day. The first option is absentee voting with an excuse, which begins six weeks prior to Election Day and can be done via mail or in person. Absentee voting opens February 24 at the Cass County Clerk’s Office, 102 E. Wall St., during regular business hours 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

The second option is no-excuse absentee voting, which can only be done in-person. No-excuse voting takes place at the Cass County Courthouse Clerk’s office, 102 E. Wall St. beginning on Tuesday, March 24 during regular business hours 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. through Friday, April 3. The clerk’s office will also be open Saturday, April 4 from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. for no-excuse absentee voting.

Polling places are as follows:

Precinct 10 - CASS CO JUSTICE CTR SHERIFF'S TRAINING RM2501 W MECHANIC ST HARRISONVILLE MO 64701

Precinct 11 - LUTHERAN CHURCH 2400 E MECHANIC ST HARRISONVILLE MO 64701

Precinct 12 - CASS CO LIBRARY-PEARSON HALL 400 E MECHANIC ST HARRISONVILLE MO 64701

Precinct 13 - FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH 400 S INDEPENDENCE ST HARRISONVILLE MO 64701