District Seeks Input on Capital Improvement Priorities

WAITSBURG – “As a board, we have made a decision that it is our goal that it will not raise taxes,” said Waitsburg School Board Chairman Ross Hamann. The statement was made during the Sept. 23 community forum held to determine community priorities for future capital improvements.

With the 1999 $1.62 million capital improvements bond nearly paid off and the 2016 expiration of the 2014 maintenance & operations levy, the district must determine what projects to tackle next as they ask residents for new funding.

To do so, the district held two community forum sessions to solicit input. Twenty-seven community members attended, with 16 being staff members.

District Superintendent Carol Clarke gave a brief bond history for the district. In 1993 a $2.1 million bond was approved by voters at 60.91%. Those funds were used to modernize and renovate Preston Hall Middle School and the elementary school.

In 1999 residents passed a $1.62 million bond, by 76.32%, for the modernization and renovation of the high school. Clarke noted that back in the 90’s the district qualified for matching funds from the state, which are no longer available.

She also explained that while all of the buildings were renovated, projections exceeded funding and some of the improvements had to be dropped.

Clarke displayed a historical graph of the district’s M&O levies which have passed every two years. Passage rates for the levies have increased over time and are well above the simple majority required by the state.

“This is a true indicator that we have a supportive community,” Clarke said.

Hamann commented that the district has been financially prudent by refinancing portions of debt and paying the bonds off early.

“By doing this we’ve saved the community, literally, tens of thousands of dollars,” he said.

To help determine community priorities, the district held a series of planning meetings earlier this year. The group of parents, staff, and community members narrowed district needs to nine top priorities.

Identified needs were:

Installation of air conditioning in classrooms and the multipurpose room in the elementary school.

Installation of air conditioning in classrooms throughout Preston Hall.

Air conditioning on the first floor and in the auditorium of the high school.

A comprehensive remodel of the district kitchen.

Construction of a field house for patron and student use including restrooms, storage and a concessions area.

Installation of a six-lane, all-weather track.

Improve track and field amenities such as high jump, long jump and shot put areas.

Improve the high school parking lot with the addition of asphalt, curbing, lighting, and a gym approach.

Adding a second parking lot by removing the existing annex.

Clarke said that two firms have given estimates for the projects, though the projections varied.

“We do know that many, though not all, of these projects could be accomplished within the confines of a bond that would not raise taxes,” she said.

Clarke also said the district has been working with a bond firm that has determined the district could ask for $4.8 million from voters without increasing tax rates, at the district’s current assessed valuation.

While completing all the projects within a $4.8 million budget would be a stretch, Clarke said it is important to determine community values so that the board, after identifying the highest needs, could ask for alternate bids to get more done.

Comments at Wednesday’s 4:30 p.m. session centered around needs for air conditioning and a new field house.

Clarke said that last fall, temperatures in elementary classrooms were 90 degrees, even with the lights off.

“The classroom environment is critical to student learning,” she said.

Hamann said that when he volunteered to build the new press box (a project funded by the Booster Club) at the athletic field last year, he was surprised by the total number of students who used the athletic complex throughout the day.

“A class would come in and use the whole facility, then they would go and the next one would come, then the next one. Then, at the end of the school day, there were more coming in for track. There are more students out there for middle and high school track than anything we provide – and it’s had the least amount of attention in the last 20 years. It really is a classroom,” he said.

Coach and physical education teacher Jeff Bartlow said the facility’s storage is deplorable and the track is so bad that he takes students to Dayton weekly “just to get on a good track.” The lack of suitable restrooms was mentioned by several in attendance.

Clarke noted that an anonymous donor has made $45,000 available toward the construction of a new field house, should that project get funded.

Clarke also said the district kitchen has not been touched in over 25 year and has electrical issues that need to be addressed.

Twenty-five of the attendees at the forum participated in two prioritization exercises. In the first, each person was given three stickers to place on signs listing each priority. The three air conditioning projects were the overwhelming favorites.

In a second exercise, participants were asked to rank all nine projects in order of importance. That exercise resulted in the projects being ranked in the same order they were originally listed.

Of those in attendance, 18 indicated they were registered district voters. Of those, 17 said they would support a capital projects bond if the proposed amount would not increase current tax rates. One participant indicated they were unsure of their support and two of the 17 said they would likely support a tax increase.