Voter Guide: District bond vote set for May 16

Voters will decide in May whether to approve a bond resolution for the school district. The Times breaks down questions that residents may have before voting day.

Q. Why is this bond being proposed? 

A. The School Board’s decision to pursue a bond issue was not a result of the Panasonic plant. Superintendent Stu Moeckel said the issues being addressed in this bond are problems that already exist within the district, and nothing in the bond is meant to address growth specifically. The existing issues lie in space, safety, infrastructure and technology. However, the expected growth does highlight a need for more functional spaces that can accommodate rising student populations, he said. 

When is voting day?

Advanced voting will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays starting Wednesday at the Douglas County Election Office at 711 W. 23rd St. in Lawrence. The Elections Office recently sent mailers with more details on advanced voting.  

Voting day in town will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 16 at City Hall, the Community Center and the Baptist church. 

What does it mean if I vote yes?

Voting yes means you agree the school district can issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $39,950,000.

How do they plan to spend the money?

The district said this bond is a reinvestment in the buildings and aging systems in all the schools. 

High school: 

• New auxiliary gym and fitness center (storm shelter) 

• Connect EdTec building to main building and create new classrooms

• Athletic renovations 

• HVAC improvements 

• Communication/tech upgrade

• Lighting LED retrofit 

• Roof 

• Utility relocations

• Pavement and sidewalks

Middle school: 

• Main entry security addition 

• Main office renovation 

• HVAC improvements 

• Communication/tech upgrades

• Lighting LED retrofit 

• Fire alarm replacement 

• Roof 

• Pavement and sidewalks

Elementary school: 

• Playground upgrade

• HVAC improvements 

• Communication/tech upgrade

• Lighting LED retrofit 

• Fire alarm replacement 

• Pavement and sidewalks

West Resource Center: 

• Pre-school renovations 

• HVAC improvements 

• Communications/tech upgrade

• Lighting LED retrofit 

• Fire alarm replacement 

• Roof

• Pavement and sidewalks

EdTech vocational: 

• HVAC improvements 

• Communication/tech upgrade 

• Lighting LED retrofit 

• Fire alarm replacement 

Wood shop/Maintenance shop: 

• HVAC improvements 

• Communication/tech Upgrade

• Lighting LED retrofit 

• Fire alarm replacement 

Transportation center: 

• Communication/tech upgrade

• Lighting LED retrofit

• Fire alarm replacement 

• Pavement and sidewalks

The cost for each of these items has been estimated by HTK Architects, but Moeckel also said the numbers are estimates and can be increased or decreased depending on overall costs. Here is the cost breakdown:

What is the new secure entrance at the middle school? How does it address safety concerns?

The new secure entrance would upgrade the middle school to match the entrances at the elementary and high schools. 

“In the current situation, visitors are buzzed in from the exterior vestibule and are admitted directly into the building,” Moeckel said. “When the secure entrance is constructed, visitors will be buzzed into a secure vestibule and then buzzed into the administrative office area before being allowed to enter the rest of the building,” 

The new entrance would prevent others from following visitors into the building and allows for more screening by staff before they have access to the building. 

How would this impact early childhood education?

The bond will allow the district to increase the number of students able to use early childhood resources. Moeckel also said the bond factors a new entrance into the renovations at the West Resource center for early childhood resources. 

How much will it cost me if I vote yes?

Property taxes are not expected to increase for homeowners  as a direct impact of the bond itself, but taxes could go up due to valuation adjustments by local appraisers, said Steve Shogren, underwriter and financial adviser of the project and managing director with Stifel Institutional. 

The bond will not increase the district’s existing mill rate. With a growing tax base, the district’s assessed valuation has increased more than $30 million or 48%. 

The district thinks now is the best time to pass the bond before interest rates increase further.

With tax base growth, state aid and the current interest rate, the school district can do this financing and the current mill levy that's being levied for previous debts will have enough cash flow to cover the old and proposed new debts from the upcoming bond issue, Shogren said. 

He said he will work to design new bonds to dovetail with the old to create a mill levy that is consistent over the upcoming years through retirement of the old debt. 

When was the last bond? 

The last district bond was $45 million and approved in 2007 to provide the current elementary school and add classrooms to the middle and high schools, according to the district’s website. 

Do you have other questions about the election? Email us at eudoratimes@gmail.com or comment on our Facebook page before Friday. A reminder that the Eudora Times will be closed from May 1 to June 5 to preserve funding.

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