Dayton Schools Take Another Look at Facilities

DAYTON - During their regular November 19 meeting, Dayton School Board members were presented with a capital levy proposal that they will consider putting before voters next year. The levy amount would be approximately $800,000, and funds could be collected from taxpayers over a one, two or three-year period.

According to Dayton Schools Superintendent Doug Johnson, the levy funds would pay for facilities projects that would address the most critical needs at the schools. They include upgrading campus-wide security and communication, replacing roofs that have reached the end of their lives and replacing sidewalks and asphalt surfaces that are a safety hazard. (See box below.)

Johnson recommended to the board that the levy measure be put in front of voters in either April or November. "February is probably too soon to have everything in place," he said, "but we'd like to be able to start work in 2016."

Johnson said that since no bond will be purchased, levy money will be used for improvements as it is received. The levy measure before the voters would need only 50% voter approval to pass.

If the $800,000 were collected over three years, the cost to property owners is expected to be about 44 cents per thousand dollar property valuation. A two-year collection period would result in a tax rate of approximately 66 cents per thousand. If all was collected in one year, the expected rate would be $1.32 per thousand.

"These are projects that we could probably spread out over multiple years," Johnson said.

Earlier this year, voters in the Dayton School District soundly defeated a $25 million bond measure that would have funded a major renovation of Dayton High School, construction of a new commons/cafeteria building and replacement of aging heating, cooling and plumbing systems.

After the defeat, the school board asked for input from the community about a reduced level of renovation that would have been less costly, but still require a bond measure.

Johnson said the proposals got very little response, so he and the board have decided to try to address the most pressing facilities needs without taking on debt.