HUMBOLDT While nothing is set in stone, the Humboldt Board of Education is considering renewing a school bond or trying to pass another to help with improvements to the school facilities within the district. If projections come in at $10 million or less, taxpayers will not see an increase, according to a financial adviser in attendance at a community advisory committee meeting earlier this week.
The school is set to pay off its current bond of $5.9 million a year ahead of schedule. If the current bond were to be extended, it could support a $10 million bond over 20 years, while having zero effect on taxpayers. Currently, the school is looking at the effects a $12-15 million bond would have on home-, business- and crop owners in the area.
The district hired DCS services out of Wichita in February to do a complete analysis of the districts facilities. Superintendent Kay Lewis said they needed the assessment done so they didnt throw money into buildings that could be replaced in 10 years.
Brett Miller of DCS Services recommended either upgrading or replace the HVAC systems in all the buildings, replace the roofs on the high school and elementary school, as well the science classrooms. The company also suggested fixing drainage issues at the high school, as well as upgrading the elevator and stair tower so they are ADA-compliant. DCS also said the district needs to enlarge the middle school/high school cafeteria.
Lewis said the community advisory committee is looking at creating a new drop-off lane at the elementary school, as well as more parking spaces. They are also interested in adding secured entrances to the middle school and high school, while the elementary school is scheduled to have its secure entry completed this year.
I cannot stress enough the importance of this process in regard to developing a long-term plan to continue to update and improve district facilities in a fiscally responsible way, Lewis said.
The committee will meet again on Dec. 5.
The district hired DCS Services out of Wichita to do an assessment of all of the districts facilities, including HVAC, plumbing and electricity, back in February.
Dustin Avery of the financial group of Piper Jaffary, said the mill levy to repay the current bonds is 10 mills, which if extended could support a new $10 million bond project financed over 20 years, with no cost to taxpayers.
Each mill is currently worth $57,700, which more than doubled after Enbridge built its pipeline through Allen County in 2014.
The district will complete a 15-year payoff of $8.4 million in general obligation bonds for the community fieldhouse in September of 2020 and it will make its last lease-purchase payment on the sports complex in 2023.
Brett Miller of DCS Services recommended either upgrading or replace the HVAC systems in all the buildings, replace the roofs on the high school and elementary school, as well the science classrooms. The company also suggested fixing drainage issues at the high school, as well as upgrading the elevator and stair tower so they are ADA-compliant.
