— School officials called the passage of Fort Gibson’s bond issues Tuesday a “great show of support.”

The district had two propositions on the ballot — one for $4.82 million and another for $665,000.

Both issues passed with 321 votes — more than 81 percent of the vote.

The $665,000 issue is earmarked for buses and other transportation needs.

The $4.8 million proposition will put new roofs on the high school field house and the Early Learning Center, pay for new band instruments and replace the football field’s grass with turf.

It also will pay for technology for a new digital curriculum and a science lab,  Superintendent Derald Glover said.

“It’s another great show of support from our community,” he said. “I give all the credit to our staff, our community, our Board of Education and the facility advisory committee, who has been working through this for some time.”

Glover said he was thankful for the committee, which had to pare the bond issue requests to keep the numbers where they needed to be to avoid raising taxes.

“I’m really grateful to the committee for the work they put into this,” he said.

Band Director LaNell Spyres said she was “pretty excited” about the bond passing.

“We’ve been putting off buying new instruments for quite some time, so I’m super excited about this,” Spyres said. “I’m going to have a bunch of happy kiddos.”

Spyres said there are 70 to 75 students in high school band, another 75 or so seventh- and eighth-graders in band and about 65 sixth-graders.

“And they’ll all benefit from this, as we’ll be buying middle school instruments too,” she said.

Spyres also looks forward to the installation of turf on the football field — where the band has been unable to practice because of the risk of damaging the grass.

“And that’s going to be big for us,” she said. “Other bands practice already on turf, and being able to practice in a stadium every day is going to be a big difference for the marching band.”

Both bond issues total about $5.8 million and are to be paid off in five years.

Reach Wendy Burton at (918) 684-2926 or wburton@muskogeephoenix.com.

FG bond election



• Proposition No. 1, $4,820,000

For — 321 votes or 82.5 percent.

Against — 68 votes or 17.5 percent.

• Proposition No. 2, $665,000

For — 321 votes or 81.5 percent.

Against — 73 votes or 18.5 percent.