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TL Photo/JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGH Michael Burns, director of finance for Robert W. Baird & Co., will speak about the need for the bond issue at Thursday’s special meeting of the Union Regional School Board. From left: Board member Dylan Foulkes, Treasurer Barney Thompson, Board President Ed Stenger, Superintendent Zach Shutler, Board members Dr. Sean Roe, Larry Kane, and David Taylor. Mr. is seated.
BELMONT — The federal local school board and administration are considering the priorities of district residents as they plan to ask voters to approve a bond issue for facility improvements in the fall.
The district put the $62 million bond on the ballot last November, but voters rejected it by a wide margin. According to unofficial vote totals released on election day, 723 people voted in favor of the issue and 2,269 voted against.
Although the effort failed, Superintendent Zach Shutler said all of the needs that could have been addressed with the money remain. He spoke to about 12 to 15 residents and several school officials who attended a special school board meeting on the topic Thursday evening.
“The initial bond didn’t go well, and I thought that was a strong message from the community.” he admitted. “Everything we wore there was a necessity. But I think there are tiers of needs, and we know that’s a big ask. So…we conducted a survey. But we got really good responses in that survey, so we knew people were interested.”
Shutler said these surveys give the board and staff a better understanding of what residents consider important needs, what are less pressing needs, and what are not needed at all. He said it was helpful. Some of the issues with the strongest support in these surveys include: His 82% of respondents favored replacing the middle school and high school’s heating, cooling and ventilation systems, which is expected to cost $4.92 million. 92% support upgrading and replacing plumbing at the middle school at an estimated cost of $750,000. 78.5% supported a new fire sprinkler system for the elementary school estimated at $520,000.
Participants also heard from Michael Burns, managing director of public finance for Columbus-based Robert W. Baird & Company. He has helped district leaders determine the best way to fund projects to be completed. He said Union Local residents have the lowest overall tax burden of all districts in the county and surrounding areas.
If the $62 million bond issue had passed, owners of property valued at $100,000 would have paid an estimated $300 to $315 in additional property taxes each year for 37 years, Burns said. If the project is scaled back and the $45 million bond is approved, the same property owners would end up paying an additional $215 to $226 in taxes each year for 37 years.
Shutler and the board also shared a slideshow highlighting some of the needs they are trying to address. It showed images of rusting pipes, broken concrete, potholed roads and water damage to the floor, roof, ceiling and classrooms of a gymnasium from the late 1950s.
As board member Dr. Sean Roe scrolled through the slides, Mr. Shutler and other staff members explained what would be shown and how it would impact students and learning. Shutler said the roads around the campus are dusty, making it difficult for buses to pick up and drop off children and parents’ cars to pass. He said broken sidewalks on campus not only look unsightly, but also create trip hazards and difficulties for people with mobility issues. He noted that the middle school and high school had to be closed for a day to fix the plumbing problem, adding that all three classroom buildings are sometimes dealing with sewage-related odors.
Treasurer Bernie Thompson said the district spends well over $150,000 a year on air conditioning repairs. Schurter said systems need to be replaced, not patched.
“It’s like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.” Mr. Shutler said of the emergency repairs.
Shutler said the high school gym’s roof needs to be replaced because it has exceeded its useful life and frequently leaks. He noted that drainage is a problem across campus, with water collecting around playgrounds and facilities such as the groundhouse. The culvert of the dam that contains the pond on campus will also need to be replaced.
Shutler predicted that within 10 years, the district would no longer be able to host night football games because of the stadium’s lighting conditions. They consume a lot of power, sometimes blow fuses, and are installed on tall wooden poles that are cracking and deteriorating. Additionally, he said the running track around the stadium is in poor condition and may soon become unsuitable for hosting track and field events.
The elementary school playground needs new asphalt and rubber surfaces. It was pointed out that the surface material of some of the play equipment was peeling off.
Carly Stevens, a Bethesda resident who graduated from UL in 2013 and has four children who are taking or planning to attend classes in the district, introduced herself and asked a few questions about the district’s finances. did. She works for the Belmont County Auditor’s Office, where she has been collecting data for the district for the past 10 years, she said.
She pointed out that around 2013, the district was still making bond payments on $2.3 million in taxes collected from local residents for the construction of the current building in the late 1990s. By 2015, she said, her bond was paid off and the district collected $4 million in taxes. He said by 2019, the district was bringing in $7 million in tax revenue. She asked where and how her additional $5 million a year is being spent, pointing out that with a $62 million bond, her own property taxes would increase by $1,200 a year.
Shutler and Thompson said most of the money goes toward salaries, noting that state staffing audits show UL has about two more teachers than it technically needs, and salaries are lower than the region’s. He noted that it was found to be slightly above average. Thompson said the district paid out $8 million in wages over the past 12 months.
Shutler added that the district doesn’t use all the money it has because carryover balances are needed to ensure unexpected expenses are paid.
Mr. Shutler, Mr. Burns and the board confirmed that they are working to place the amended bond issue on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. Shutler believes that will be reflected in some way, he said. “Every vote until it passes.” Meanwhile, the school district will work to educate voters about the bond’s needs and fiscal implications. No additional information sessions have been scheduled yet.
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