The Lincoln Board of Education on Monday moved a step closer to floating a bond issue in February that could pay to build four schools and renovate numerous existing buildings.

Not all board members were convinced a February bond issue was the right move, but several indicated moving sooner was better than later.

“I feel strongly that we should do what we should do,’’ said board member Keith Prettyman. “In this case that means meeting as many real and projected needs identified by the task force and MGT (consulting firm) and doing that as quickly as possible.’’

To that end, the board decided Monday to create a committee to work on a draft resolution needed for a bond election it could discuss at the next work session on Nov. 29.

Jim Frohman, a Lincoln businessman who has followed the board for several years, offered words of caution to the board Monday.

“Slow down,’’ he said.

Frohman said he supports what the board wants to do, but moving forward so quickly is a mistake. Board members have been so involved with the process that they assume the public is educated about what they want to do — but they’re not, he said. 

“You’re going to lose the election and you’re going to lose the public if you don’t.’’

Monday was the second of four work sessions the board has scheduled to review recommendations made by a citizen task force on the building needs of the district in the next 10 years.

The task force recommended $408.9 million in improvements, including building at least four new elementary schools, two new middle schools, making major renovations to Lincoln’s four older high schools and completing indoor air-quality improvements and additions to numerous other schools.

The board discussed issuing $250 million in bonds, which it could do without raising the current tax levy, and using an existing $64.6 million to complete many — but not all — of the task force recommendations.

That amount of money would allow the district to accomplish the following work, according to a timeline created by LPS officials:

n Make major renovations to Southeast, Northeast, Lincoln High and East High.

n Build two new elementary schools, one near 27th and Pine Lake Road and another in north Lincoln.

n Build a new middle school in northwest Lincoln.

n Replace Arnold Elementary

n Complete additions and/or indoor air-quality improvments to 16 elementary schools and four middle schools.

It would not include a new elementary and new middle school in southeast Lincoln, which were recommended by the task force.

All existing schools that need air-conditioning would be included in a $250 million bond issue, said Dennis Van Horn, LPS associate superintendent of business affairs.

Some schools slated for indoor air-quality improvements wouldn’t be included.  Those schools all have air-conditioning that will need to be replaced.

“We think we can make those schools work for another 10 years,’’ Van Horn said.

The board does not need to stick to the timeline provided by the district and could decide to do any of the projects in any order.

And at least two board members said they wanted resolution language to include enough flexibility so that if the work costs less, they could complete more of the work recommended by the task force.

The board would have to pass a resolution and give it to the county election commissioner by Dec. 9 to hold a special election on Feb. 14, board counsel Jim Gessford told the board.

The next possible election would be March 14, followed by the primary election on May 9.

Board members wanted to know the cost of a special election, a fact board member Barb Baier said would weigh heavily in her decision.

Board member Doug Evans expressed concerns about moving forward so quickly with a bond issue.

He also said he didn’t want to repeat what happened with the high school bond issue when the personnel costs associated with the new high schools came at the expense of existing schools.

“We opened the new high schools on the backs of the old schools,’’ he said.

To avoid that, he said, the board should pass a levy override to allow the district to pay for the personnel costs associated with the new schools without taking away from existing schools.

Among the advantages of moving ahead quickly on a bond issue is  being able to take advantage of the spring and summer construction season and dealing with less inflation, Van Horn said.

Also, district officials are concerned about the volatility of the bond market, he said.

“Time is money,’’ he said.

Reach Margaret Reist at 473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com.