The Paragould School District is continuing to take advantage of falling interest rates. Its board of directors voted this week to accept a bid from Milwaukee, Wisc.-based Robert W. Baird and Company, LLC to refinance $12,610,000 in bonds at 1.96 percent interest. The previous rate was 3.05 percent (from Morgan Stanley), and the refinancing is expected to save the district a total of $1,123,816.76.
The bonds, originally issued in 2011 and refunded by Morgan Stanley in 2016, were for the Primary and Oak Grove Middle School construction projects.
The board also heard an update on construction of the new high school buildings from Danny McDaniel of Ramsonâs Construction. He told the board the interiors of the AgriScience and Junior ROTC facilities are complete. The remaining interior work of the band facility includes hanging the sound panels, caulking, and cleaning. McDaniel said demolition of the old Agri/Junior ROTC building should be complete by about April 21.