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From the Desk of Dr. Halley: School Bond Information

By Halley, Heath on December 11, 2020

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Good morning, I hope all is well. Though COVID-19 has been in forefront of our thoughts and minds since March, everything about our personal and professional lives has continued. Within the last month, I worked with LJ Hart and Company (a Missouri school finance company) to refinance our debt in our Capital Projects fund/ Fund 3. Due to the current financial market, we were able to restructure the debt and save over $900,000 on future payments.

In 2002 the board of education began an intensive evaluation and facility improvement plan that began with re-roofing and Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. Those programs began as Lease Purchase programs. Since the initial program, we have gravitated to No Tax Increase bond issues, which must be voted on by our community. We have had several iterations of this since my arrival in 2004. We have presented three No Tax Increase bond issues with great success in 2005, 2009, 2016. With those No Tax Increase bond issues, we have accomplished many projects. To list a few: we expanded and renovated our HS Art room, HS Library, HS computer lab, roofing for the district, HVAC units district-wide, renovated our restrooms, HS parking lot, MS drive, lighting upgrades, significant kitchen remodel as a few of the major upgrades. 20 years have nearly passed and we are now in need of beginning to replace our HVAC and roofing systems. Things like the elementary playground, elementary library remodel, Building trades building were done with financial commitments from those boards of education. During that time we have made zero major improvements to our athletic facilities. The items listed below are all the items currently under consideration for this project. Once the board makes a decision, it will still require a vote of our community for approval. The major components for the project would be; school building improvements and athletic facility improvements.

       There are 3 levels of options being considered for this portion of facility upgrades we are considering.  Those are denoted by the A/B/C that you see after each listed item.  Currently (A) is the most likely avenue that would be followed.  The critical portion of this is the energy savings that are created by upgrading the electrical and HVAC while making our environment conducive for teaching and learning.

HVAC 

1 Destratification Fans - Gyms (Jet Systems) A/B/C

2 Destratification Fans - Commons Areas (Jet System)A/B/C

3 Replace 15 Year Old RTUs (26/39 units, 296 tons) A/B/C

4 Bipolar Ionization Units C

5 Upgrade 10-year-old RTU's that utilize R-22 (13/39 units, 143 tons) A/B/C 

Envelope

1 Replace Existing Commons Area Windows to Double Pane, Insulated Storefront Windows B/C

2 Replace (14) Exterior Doors with Steel Insulated with One Inch Double Pane Glass Doors B/C

3 Roof Replacement (TPO)- 2001 and 2002 Roof Area 38,000 SF. A/B/C HS GYM/Commons/lockerrooms ag and ag hallways

Electrical 

1 Bus Barn - Engine Block Heater Controls A/B/C

2 School and Bus Barn - Retrofitting Interior and Exterior Lamps with LED & Ballast Bypass. A/B/C

3 Vending Misers  A/B/C

These are the athletic facility upgrades under consideration.

▪Football field turf

• Usage daily, no cancelations due to unplayable field conditions

• Band, anytime day/night/morning regardless of weather practice

• Significant Time-saving for Band and football

• PE

• Spring sports practice opportunity

• Currently counting on lots of Volunteer hours and equipment to make playable

Softball Complex

• New Natural Materials Softball Field New Turface, Re-grade/irrigate outfield, new galvanized chain-link fence around the outfield from the dugout to dugout and replace dugouts.
•  Softball Field LED Fixtures (Replace Existing)       
• South Softball Field New LED Lights  

Baseball Complex

• Upgrade Baseball Field New galvanized chain-link backstop, galvanized chain link dugouts with metal roof/concrete floors, re-grade/irrigate outfield,   new galvanized chain-link fence around the outfield from the dugout to dugout     
• Baseball Field New LED Lights  

Gym

• gym floor refinish