School Board Seeks Feedback

WAITSBURG – For several months the Waitsburg School Board has been actively seeking taxpayer prioritization input on district facilities upgrades through a series of planning sessions and two recent community forums. The board now hopes to reach a broader spectrum of district voters by using an online survey to solicit opinions.

The district will be asking voters for a new capital improvements bond in January to replace the 1999 $1.62 million bond that is nearly paid off. The online survey will help the board determine what projects to pursue as they seek new funding.

Waitsburg Schools Superintendent Carol Clarke said the online survey is configured a bit differently from the previous surveys. Since air conditioning in all three schools consistently received high priority rankings, those three items have been combined into one item on the new survey.

The new survey also lists the projected costs and percentages of the total bond proposal for each item. The rationale behind each proposed expenditure is also listed.

The district plans to ask voters to support $4.8 million of capital projects. This amount is not expected to raise property tax rates, as it will begin in 2017 and will replace the 1999 levy that will be retired next year.

Proposed capital projects include: air conditioning in all three school buildings, comprehensive remodel of the district kitchen, construction of a field house, parking lot improvements, and the installation of an all-weather track and track and field amenities.

“It is unlikely that we could complete all the proposed projects with the $4.8 million, but if we’re careful and are able to come in on the low end of bids, it’s not impossible,” said Clarke.

The board must approve the bond resolution at their Dec. 9 board meeting in order to meet the Dec. 11 deadline to have it listed on the ballot. The resolution would then be put before voters in February of next year.

All voters in the Waitsburg School District are encouraged to make their voices heard and complete the survey. A link to the survey can be found under the “Envision the Future” heading on the district website at http://www.waitsburgsd.org and the deadline is Nov. 6. If you prefer a paper copy of the survey, contact the District Office at 337-6301 to have one mailed to you.