Waitsburg Schools Seek $3.8 Million Bond

WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg School District is seeking voter approval for a $3.8 million capital improvement bond. If approved, the bond funds would be used for three projects.

The first is upgrading the HVAC system in all three schools, including adding air conditioning to the elementary school. The projected cost for this project is between $2.4 million and $2.9 million. The second project would be a complete renovation of the school kitchen, with a projected cost of between $660,000 and $940,000. The third project using bond funds would be construction of a field house at the school athletic, with an expected cost of $510,000.

The projected initial cost for property owners in the Waitsburg School District would be $1.28 per thousand-dollar valuation. However, this bond will replace a 1999 bond that is being retired. The rate for that bond is currently $2.02 per thousand.

This will be the second time this year that Waitsburg Schools have gone before voters for a capital improve bond. In February, a $4.8 million bond measure failed to reach the required 60% approval by 13 votes.

That measure would have included funding for the three projects listed above, plus paving of the high school parking lot and installation of an all-weather and other improvements to track and field facilities.

In May, the Waitsburg School Board put out a survey to ask local citizens which of the projects they would support. One hundred forty-one responses were received.

The parking lot and track projects received less than 50% support from survey respondents, with the other three receiving over 50% support. The HVAC and kitchen remodel projects received nearly 80% support.

In July, the school board voted to go back before voters this fall for the reduced capital bond levy, to include the three projects receiving the most survey support.