16A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 1, 2015
Polk County Schools/Education
Mr. Dallas set to help locals
District OKs issuing
maintenance bonds
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Dallas stu-
dents helping Dallas families.
That is the theme for this
year’s Mr. Dallas Pageant.
Saturday’s pageant extrav-
aganza and all activities
leading up to it this week will
benefit two Dallas families
facing medical struggles.
“The proceeds will go to
families in the community.
We wanted to be more local,”
said pageant co-coordinator
Baylee Andersen, a Dallas
High senior. “Both families
were chosen because they
have medical issues with one
or more members of their
family. Each will be getting
half the proceeds.”
The beneficiaries are the
Straus family, whose daugh-
ter, Gracie, has a rare genetic
disorder requiring constant
care, and the Autry family,
whose son, Tommy, was
born with a condition caus-
ing two holes in his heart
and other complications that
have required multiple sur-
geries. This year’s show will
feature all eight contestants
in an opening dance number
and individually in a talent
showcase, among other dis-
plays of skill and wit.
In the past, Mr. Dallas pro-
ceeds went to the American
Cancer Society’s Relay For Life
and Doernbecher Children’s
Hospital, but this year the
DHS leadership class, which
puts on the show, decided to
take a different route. The
class asked for people to
nominate families in need in
an effort to “Keep it Local,” as
the pageant’s slogan declares.
“We are really excited,”
Dallas will begin key projects shortly
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Mr. Dallas contestants Luke Disney, left, and Grant Hess rehearse a group dance num-
ber recently at Dallas High School. The annual pageant fundraiser is Saturday at 3 p.m.
Check It Out
What: Mr. Dallas Pageant.
When: Saturday, 3 p.m.
Where: Bollman Auditorium, Dallas High School, 1250 SE
Holman Ave., Dallas.
Admission: Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students.
They are available at the DHS main office or at the door.
And the contestants are: Tyson Janssen, senior; Joshua
Naughton, senior; Mathew Thorsted, senior; Isaak Tichenor,
senior; Luke Disney, junior; Cordon Rosenbaum, junior;
Brodie Shinn, junior; and Grant Hess, sophomore.
Of note: A Mr. Dallas fundraiser will be held Thursday from
6 to 8 p.m. at Abby’s Pizza, 174 W. Ellendale Ave., Dallas. Re-
member to bring in a flier to donate 20 percent of your pur-
chase to Mr. Dallas.
For more information: 503-623-8336.
Andersen said. “Dallas does
a lot for us, so it’s nice to give
back to them.”
Likewise, contestants
Brodie Shinn, a junior, and
Luke Disney, a junior, say
they are ready to get goofy to
help their community.
Shinn, who will regale the
crowd with a standup come-
dy routine, said the Mr. Dal-
las Pageant seemed a perfect
combination of two of his fa-
vorite things.
“I like helping people and
being the center of attention,
so this is a good way to have
both,” he said.
Disney will perform with
his quartet, The Frisky Gen-
tlemen, which, in addition to
Mr. Dallas, also volunteers to
sing for residents at Dallas
Retirement Village.
Disney said he believes it’s
important to participate in
events like Relay For Life and
Mr. Dallas for the good they
do for others.
“It’s a pretty awesome
cause,” he said.
Come Celebrate
Easter with Us
DALLAS — The Dallas
School Board on March 23
authorized issuing $9.7 mil-
lion in bonds from the $17
million school maintenance
bond approved by voters in
November.
Issuing that amount al-
lows the district to begin
work on the biggest projects
on its to-do list while still
reaping the highest possible
benefit from a yet-to-be
passed bill in the state legis-
lature that would offer
matching grants for school
projects.
Senate Bill 447 would
provide matching funds of
up to $8 million to school
districts with general obli-
gation bonds for mainte-
nance or building projects.
Under the current lan-
guage, Dallas would receive
at most $7.3 million in
matching funds, the exact
amount of its next issuance,
which could qualify for a
matching grant if the bill
were to pass as is.
SB 447 has moved from
the Senate Committee on
Education to the Joint Ways
and Means Committee, but
there still are plenty of
questions left, including
whether amendments
could be made excluding
Dallas. The original intent
of the bill was to offer in-
centives for districts to pass
bonds for upgrades and
construction. Dallas has al-
ready passed its bond, so if
an amendment were to
specify bonds must be ap-
proved in a future election,
the district would not quali-
fy. So far, that has not hap-
pened.
“There has not been any
changes to that bill, other
than it’s moved forward in
the legislative process. We
do not know if it will pass,”
said Tami Montague, Dallas
School District business
manager. “There’s a lot of
rulemaking that has to hap-
pen after, even if it makes it
all the way through the leg-
islature.”
Dallas School Board
member Matt Posey said he
was concerned about issu-
ing less than $10 million,
given there were no guaran-
tees of grant funding. He
said construction costs are
likely to go up significantly
before the district will issue
its next series in three years.
However, Board Chair-
man Mike Blanchard said
the district couldn’t issue
much more than $10 mil-
lion without stretching its
ability to spend a majority
of the money in the three-
year time frame required by
law. Also with the higher
amount, interest costs
could push the bond tax
rate up above the $1.74 per
$1,000 of assessed value
promised voters during the
campaign.
“It’s low risk to go with
$9.7 million,” Blanchard
said.
First Presbyterian Church
879 SW Levens, Dallas • 503-623-3397
Maundy Thursday Communion 7:00 pm
Easter Worship 10:30 am
Joyful, Relaxed, Traditional Worship
Sundays at 10:30 am
Come celebrate Easter
with us at the
Dallas United
Methodist church
Thursday, April 2 - Tennebrae 6:00 p.m.
Easter Sunday - Children’s Egg Hunt 10:00 a.m.
Easter Worship 10:55 a.m.
Rev. J. Quinton Kimbrow
Childcare
Provided
www.umcdallas.com
Handicapped
Accessible
565 SE LaCreole Dr. • Next to the Middle School • 503-623-2481
Salt Creek Baptist Church
15075 Salt Creek Rd, Dallas
503-623-2976
Easter Schedule
• Sunrise Service: 7:30 am
at Salt Creek Church
• Breakfast: 8 am - 9 am
• Sunday School for all ages: 9:30 am
• Worship Gathering: 10:50 am
All Are Welcome!
Evangelical Bible Church
EASTER
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Worship Services
8:00 am & 10:45 am
Everyone Welcome!
1175 Howe St., Dallas
503-623-2331 • www.ebcdallas.org