News
   Valley Center
   Park City
   Kechi
   Bel Aire
   School
   Sheriff
   Police & Fire
   Deaths
   Looking Back
   Heard on Main Street
Municipal Court
Sports
   School Sports
   Rec League
People
   General
   Birthdays
   Engagements & Weddings
Opinions
   Editorials
   Letters
   Commentary
Columns
Church
Advertising
   Classified
   Legal
District moves toward vote on bond issue
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: September 17, 2015

Valley Center school district voters may be asked to vote on a $15 million school improvement bond issue next year.

The school board on Sept. 14 took its first formal steps toward a vote.

District leaders said the money could be used to address a handful of student safety issues plus provide space to handle growth among the district's three elementary schools.

All seven school board members agreed to explore the options.

"We know that there's a need," board member Rhonda Price said.

"We would not be doing our due diligence if we did not pursue this," board member Richard Harris said.

The board approved a tentative agreement with Howard & Helmer to provide pre-vote and architectural services. It's the same firm the district hired in 2008 to oversee its most recent bond issue, a $57.5 million plan that included a new high school, District Office and transportation facility and host of other additions and improvements.

Though no pricetag has been set, this bond issue would be considerably smaller.

"The community did an outstanding job last time guiding us where we needed to go," said board member Bart Balthazor. "… We definitely have some additional needs that we need to address."

No other decisions have been made so far regarding a bond issue. However, the board has discussed the possibility of constructing storm shelters at the intermediate school, the middle school and Wheatland, the only three schools without one. The board also has considered remodeling the entrance to Wheatland so the public has to enter the main office before going anywhere else in the building, another safety concern.

In addition, the district wants to address growth at the elementary schools.

Several options exist, including the possibility of building a new school, adding on to existing buildings or reconfiguring grade level groupings. The intermediate school and the middle school have additional space for growth. Superintendent Cory Gibson said, however, that only five classrooms in the three elementaries are currently unused.

Since 2008, the district has grown by more than 260 students.

Board member Roger Joyal said any facility improvement plan that is developed should make student safety a priority.

James Nightengale, Howard & Helmer partner, said his firm would analyze existing facilities, estimate costs, prioritize needs, develop options to meet those needs, work with a steering committee made up of district staff, parents and community members, gather public input and develop a plan to present to the public for a vote.

If the bond issue passes, Howard & Helmer would also design the projects.

Nightengale said for a bond issue election to succeed the projects must be "politically viable, educationally sound and financially feasible."

If the board moves forward with the process, a vote could come as early as February 2016, but more likely late May or early June.

The board took steps Sept. 14 to absorb the cost of a 20-year, $15 million bond issue — if it is approved — without increasing the current property tax mill levy to pay for it.

In a 7-0 vote, the board approved a resolution to refinance what's left of the 2008 bond issue (about $42 million) and extend its payment schedule from 20 years to 25 years.

It will cost the district more than $2.1 million in interest and fees to extend the schedule. However, state aid pays for about 49 percent of the principal and interest payments.

Restructuring the district's debt was necessary, district leaders and board members said, to avoid a sharp increase in the mill levy. When the 2008 bonds were issued, the district had estimated that the assessed property valuation in the district would grow by about 4 percent each year, which allowed the district to set a 20-year payout schedule. That kind of growth didn't happen. Instead, annual growth has hovered around 2 percent, making a mill of property tax revenue worth less than anticipated.

The board has options with its bond and interest fund.

Extending the payout through 2033 would allow the district to either lower the property tax mill levy by about 3 mills or add another bond issue to the mix without affecting the mill levy.

Some board members saw the restructuring as an opportunity to issue additional debt to make facility improvements.

"Now is a good time to move forward, especially after hearing we could layer in some bonds without affecting the (tax rate)," Price said.

Over 20 years, a $15 million bond issue would cost the district about $29 million in interest and principal payments.

In other business Sept. 14, the board:

•Accepted Title I and Title IIA grant awards.

•Approved site council memberships.

•Approved an out-of-state travel request from Gibson for the National Superintendents Conference on Education Feb. 10 through 13 in Phoenix, Ariz.

•Heard Jamie Wetig give an update on the district's health and wellness initiative as part of the strategic plan. Wetig said the health and wellness committee's goal is to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles among district staff members.

•Approved a donation of $5,000 from the Valley Center Diamond Club to the athletic department's baseball account. The club is disbanding.

•Heard Rebecca Khosravipour give an update on the district's curriculum, instruction and assessment plan.

•Heard Mike Bonner give an update on federal funds.

•Accepted a supplemental contract resignation from Deb Breitigan (Friendship Club sponsor, Aug. 1).

•Approved supplemental contracts for Bryce Westphal (baseball assistant coach, $2,722, Aug. 24), Ty Unrau (baseball assistant coach, $2,722, Aug. 24), Kendra Jantz (Friendship Club sponsor, $486, Aug. 24) and Elizabeth Moseley (middle school cross country assistant coach, $1,221, Sept. 10).

•Approved the hiring of Natasha Waters (middle school and high school cook, $8.35 per hour, Aug. 18), Patricia Paton (Abilene custodian, $9.25 per hour, high school cook, $9.55 per hour, Aug. 24), Stephen Duarte (middle school co-lead custodian, $11.65 per hour, Aug. 31), Rose Babcock (high school cook, $9.35 per hour, Aug. 27) and Glenda Hurt (high school cook, $9.75 per hour, Sept. 8).

•Accepted resignations from Merrie Martin (bus driver, Sept. 6), Crystal Reyes (Abilene nurse aide, Aug. 27), Brentt Busch (middle school custodian, Aug. 28) and Gary Kerr (director of transportation, retirement, Sept. 30).





Trending Stories
Legals SEDGWICK COUNTY PUBLIC NOTICE

Valley Center Wrapped in love

Valley Center City trims street projects

Valley Center Student enrollment sees a small dip

Valley Center Contact The Ark Valley News

Other Sections
News

Sports

People

Columns

Opinion

Contact Ark Valley News | Archives