GREENE COUNTY CSD PROPOSED BOND ISSUE Frequently Asked Questions Updated 07.21.2015 1. Why is the Greene County School District considering a bond referendum? The Greene County School District is considering a bond referendum for several reasons: - Operate as efficiently as possible in order to make the best use of tax dollars - Provide students the best educational opportunities possible o o New/updated facilities best suited for teaching/learning Savings in costs to operate and maintain facilities can be used to provide additional opportunities for students - Safe/Secure buildings o Updated secure entrances o Close proximity to Law Enforcement Center - Easy access to emergency medical care (Greene County Medical Center) - New/Updated facilities to compete favorably for student enrollment 2. What construction projects will be included with the overall project? Elementary New secure Elementary School entrance 4 th grade classroom block addition (4 new classrooms) New parental drop-off lane Increased parking capacity Intermediate Close Intermediate Building Find an outside entity to repurpose the Intermediate School Middle School Close Middle School Find an outside entity to repurpose the Middle School Middle School Gym Renovate Locker Rooms and Lobby Area and continue to use the gym for sub-varsity competition Demolish building link to 1916 structure High School New secure Middle School entrance Middle school classroom addition (4 new classrooms) Segregated Middle School Bus Loop and parking New secure High School Entrance District and High School Administration addition Expanded performing arts suite Segregated High School Bus Loop New High School classroom block, cafeteria and competition gym addition (24 new classrooms) Wrestling room addition Enclosed weight room access link addition Increased parking capacity (parking for Ram Restaurant) Updated finishes to the existing classroom spaces Geothermal HVAC upgrade Fire lane / Improved site circulation District Administration Building Deed to Greene County Early Learning Center
3. What would the grade configurations be if the bond referendum passed? If the bond referendum passed we would ultimately move into two buildings. A PK-4 th grade building and a 5 th grade -12 th grade building. The 5 th grade 12 th grade building would have a separate entrance for 5 th 8 th grade and for 9 th 12 th grade. There would be designated classrooms, lunchroom, gymnasium, etc. for 5 th 8 th and for 9 th 12 th. There would be minimal interaction between 5 th 8 th grade students and 9 th 12 th grade students. 4. What is the estimated total cost of the project? The estimated total cost for the project is $22,800,000. This is the estimated total design, construction and bonding cost for the items above. Shive-Hattery architects and engineers and financial advisor Piper Jaffray determined the estimated costs. 5. How much is the referendum? The referendum is for $20,000,000. The additional $2,800,000 would be accessed by borrowing against the Voted Physical Plant and Equipment Levy previously approved by district patrons. 6. Where did this list of projects come from? A Facility Study Committee consisting of citizens from across the school district, three board members, teachers from each building, and district administrators have met over the last year to discuss the facility needs of the school district. Last fall the School Board approved working with Shive-Hattery architects and engineers to look at recommendations in more detail and to formalize a plan. The list of projects were a result of the Facility Study Committee meeting with Shive-Hattery representatives. 7. If the bond referendum passes, how will it affect my property taxes? Property taxes for bond issues are calculated on net taxable value not assessed or market value. The appropriate rollback and homestead credit need to be applied before calculating the total annual tax. The current blended property tax levy for the 2015-2016 school year is $12.47 per $1,000 of taxable value. The proposed bond referendum would add a debt service levy of $2.70 per $1,000 of taxable value. The new rate would be $15.17 per $1,000 of taxable value. For a homeowner with a house assessed at $100,000, the annual increase in total property taxes, after the rollback to 55.7% and the homestead credit are applied, is $148.50 a year or $12.38 a month. For a commercial property owner with a building assessed at $100,000, the annual increase in total property taxes, after a rollback to 90% is applied, is $243.00 a year or $20.25 a month. Agricultural ground is taxed on its productivity, not market value. The average productivity value of farm ground in the Greene County School District is $2,160 per acre. Therefore the annual increase in total property taxes to an average acre in the Greene County district, after a rollback to 44.7% is applied, is $2.55 per acre a year. 8. How does Greene County s total tax rate compare to other school districts? Greene County s current tax rate is $12.51. If the bond issue passes the tax rate for next year is calculated to be $15.21. Below are the current (FY2016) tax rates for area school districts. If they have a debt service levy it is indicated in () but is part of the total dollar figure. Panorama $12.70 ($2.30) Odgen $14.28 ($0) Boone $18.20 ($2.87) North Polk $19.94 ($4.04) Gilbert $18.00 ($3.72) Saydel $12.85 ($1.50) Nevada $16.65 ($1.79) Perry $17.71 ($2.20) Carroll $8.90 ($0)
9. What have the tax rates for the Greene County School District been over the last 10 years? East Greene J-S J-S - Jefferson J-S - Scranton Greene County FY 07 15.07 17.09 15.98 FY 08 14.86 17.00 15.86 FY 09 15.82 16.83 15.73 FY 10 15.68 16.74 15.72 FY 11 15.48 15.65 FY 12 15.14 15.53 FY 13 13.87 14.90 FY 14 13.81 13.42 FY 15 12.76 (Blended Rate) FY 16 12.47 (Blended Rate) GC - JS GC - EG 12.85 12.31 12.55 12.29 10. After the referendum is passed, can the list of construction projects be changed? No, it cannot be changed. The district is obligated to construct only the projects that are specified. 11. What happens if the construction bids for the projects come back higher than $20 million dollars? The Greene School Board has two options available if bids for the construction projects come back higher than the amount allowed by the bond referendum. The first is to direct the architects and engineers to review and critically analyze the construction plans to try to discover ways to make the projects more economical without sacrificing quality. The second is to allocate other district resources like sales tax funds or Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) funds toward the construction of the projects to make up the difference. 12. Why was a geothermal system selected for the 5-12 facility? The existing high school mechanical/hvac systems are nearing or at the end of their useful life. Repair and maintenance costs of the existing systems will continue to rise while indoor air quality will continue to decline. The District feels that now is the time to update these systems as part of the overall construction project so that more acceptable conditions may be provided for the students. System selection focused on finding the right balance between comfort, energy efficiency and upfront costs. This required an understanding of life cycle costs as well as upfront costs so that a value based decision could be made. A geothermal ground source system was determined to provide this balance. While upfront costs are greater than conventional systems, energy consumption, operational costs and maintenance costs will all decrease. Total savings will more than pay the difference in upfront costs over the life of the system and the students benefit from the improved indoor air quality. Payback for installing a geothermal system in lieu of a conventional system on average is 10 years or less. Often, such high performance systems qualify for significant rebates from local utility providers making this option even more attractive. The advantages the geothermal system provide were deemed to be the best value for the District and is the basis for the recommendation. 13. What will happen to the current district administration building? Relocating the district administration offices would also make it possible to make the administration building available to the Greene County Early Learning Center which currently leases over half the building from the school district. This would enable expansion of the Greene County Early Learning Center. 14. If the bond referendum passes, what will the savings be to the district? Busing 18,000 miles per year @ $3.71 per mile total cost (salaries, fuel, maintenance, etc) = $66,780 Administration $110,000 Teachers/Counselors - $70,000 Support Staff Custodial - $75,000 Food Service $40,000
15. When would construction start if the bond referendum passes September 8? The first step after passage is for the school district to sell the bonds that fund the construction. Almost immediately, the architects and engineers will begin the process of designing and creating construction-ready blueprints and other bid documents. The next step is to put the projects out for bid. The school board will choose the contractors based on the submitted bids. It is most likely that projects would begin next summer. 16. What is the predicted interest rate on the bonds? Matt Gillespie of Piper Jaffray, the district s bonding firm, estimates that the anticipated average rate for the bonds, if sold next spring, would be 4%. 17. Does the bond referendum include funds for furnishings? Where appropriate, a very small portion of the funds would be used for furnishings. 18. Who can vote on the bond referendum? Anyone who lives in the district, is eighteen years of age, and is registered to vote can cast a ballot on September 8. A person that is not registered to vote can register at the polling place that same day by providing proof of age and residence. 19. Where are the polling places on September 8 and what are the hours? The polls will be open from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM on September 8 at the following places: Grand Junction St. Brigid Parish Center Jefferson Greene County Courthouse Rippey Rippey Community Center/Public Library Scranton Scranton City Hall If unknown, an individual can call the Greene County Auditor (515-386-5680) to find out what precinct they live in. 20. Can I vote by Absentee Ballot? Yes you can vote by absentee ballot. This can be done In Person or By Mail. In Person: You can vote Absentee Ballot In Person by going to the Greene County Auditor s Office up until 4:30 PM on September 4, 2015. By Mail: You can vote Absentee Ballot By Mail by requesting an Absentee Ballot from the Greene County Auditor s Office. You can return it to the Greene County Auditor s Office by 4:30 PM on September 4, 2015 or mail it back and make sure it is postmarked on or before Saturday, September 5 th. Monday September 7 th is Labor Day and a postal holiday. 21. Where can I get an Absentee Ballot? An absentee ballot request form can be obtained from the Greene County Auditor s Office or downloaded from the following website: http://www.co.greene.ia.us 22. Why should I vote? Everyone s vote counts. Exercise your right! 23. How long would it take to pay off the bonds? The bonds would be paid off over the course of 20 years. 24. Will the District continue to hold wrestling practice at the Jefferson Fieldhouse? Part of the project would be to expand the room at the high school that was used for wrestling practice in order to accommodate both JH and HS wrestling. The District would not use the Jefferson Fieldhouse for JH or HS Wrestling Practice. 25. How old are the current buildings? The Elementary was built in 1992 with an addition in 2008. The Intermediate building was built in 1915 with an addition in 1954 and remodeling taking place in 2012. The MS was built in 1919 with the Gym being added in 1951. The High School was built in 1966 with an addition in 1992. Both the Intermediate and Middle School Buildings are approaching 100 years old. The boilers in the HS are the original boilers installed in 1966. 26. Will the 5-8 students have interaction with the 9-12 students? Interaction between the 5-8 students and the 9-12 students should be very limited. There will be a separate entrance for 5-8 students and 9-12 students. There will be a separate office, separate gym and locker rooms for
PE and separate cafeteria. 5-8 students would occupy the space that is currently the high school classrooms. 5-6 Grade students would likely have classes in one hallway and 7-8 students in the other hallway. Qs about the Greene County CSD $20 million bond proposal Asked by Tori Riley, GreeneCountyNewsOnline, for the potential use of all news media GYMNASIUMS Q. How large would the new gym at the high school be? What would be the seating capacity? The new gymnasium would seat 1,700 people and have seating on both sides. It would be approximately 22,600 square feet. It would have 4 locker rooms. Q. Would there be amenities like a fitness room like we see in some other new gyms? What about handicap accessibility? How would the new gym compare to those at other HOIAC schools? There would not be a new fitness room, the current plan is to continue using the existing weight room but provide a new enclosed access corridor to that space. The new gym would be handicap accessible. The new gym would compare favorably with the other HOIAC schools. Q. Would there be separate shower/locker rooms to accommodate visiting teams? There would be 4 locker rooms to accommodate four teams. This could include both boys and girls teams during the regular season or 4 teams for a district tournament. Q. What is the cost of the gym? Approximately $4.2 M is budgeted. Q. How would a new gym benefit students athletes, fans, and/or the Greene County district? The new gym would benefit student athletes by giving them an updated competition facility. Four locker rooms would eliminate the need for boys and girls to share a locker room during games. Travel for practice would be reduced. Additional practice space would reduce the need for morning basketball practices. The new gym would benefit fans by giving them an updated facility to watch activities. The gym would be handicap accessible. There is a good possibility we would be able to host district and sub-state level competitions. The new gym would also provide significantly more parking. New parking will be off-street improving safety and accessibility. The Greene County District patrons would benefit as this would eliminate the need to use the Greene County Recreation Center for volleyball and basketball practices and games which provides additional access to members. Q. Would the new gym be used for phys. ed. classes? Yes, the new gym would be used for high school physical education class. Q. What work at the middle school gym is included in the bond issue? Work done in the middle school gym would be funded out of Voter Approve Physical Plant and Equipment Levy proceeds and would include making some modifications to the locker rooms and opening up the lobby area. PERFORMING ARTS SUITE Q. How large would the performing arts suite be? The District is waiting for voter approval before planning is taken to that level so we are still involved in the preliminary planning stages. Final plans and actual size of rooms would not be determined until after the bond referendum is passed. Q. What would it include? How will the space be used? Initial plans for the performing arts suite would include construction of a dedicated vocal music room and practices rooms along with remodeling the current space to make it more usable. Plans would also include construction of a green room and storage space to help with productions put on by the school and community.
CLASSROOMS, ETC Q. Will the classrooms in the new high school space be different from the 1960s classrooms? Is there an advantage to having new classrooms built with current technology in mind rather than retrofitting? The main classroom areas that will change will be the Science classrooms that will have updates making them more conducive to experiential/hands-on learning that is required in the Next Generation Science Standards. Other classrooms will not vary greatly from the classrooms built in the 1960 s but will include access to more collaboration spaces. The high school classrooms that will be remodeled will be larger than the current rooms at the MS and most of the rooms at the Intermediate building. This is important to accommodate more student collaboration and group work. Q. What spaces will be shared by all students? Media center? Cafeteria? Gym? Art room? Performing arts suite? The District is waiting for voter approval before planning is taken to that level so plans have not been finalized and will not be finalized until a bond referendum is approved by voters. The main area that will be shared will be the Performing Arts Area. There will be a separate cafeteria, gymnasium, and art room. A decision has not been made on a shared Media Center. Q. The proposal notes a savings of $110,000 in administration. What would be the administrative structure be? Elementary, 5-8, 9-12, or would there be a 5-12 principal and a 5-12 assistant principal? A decision has not been made as to what the administrative structure would be, but one administrative position could be eliminated. Q. A geothermal system is proposed for the 5-12 complex to provide better air quality. Does air quality and comfort impact teacher performance and student learning? Does data show a correlation (or maybe it s only intuitive that it would)? A geothermal system is being considered for three reasons. First, a geothermal system will provide better air quality and air quality is linked to comfort in the short term and also health in the short and long term. I am not aware of any specific data. A second reason that a geothermal system is being considered is the current high school heating and cooling system is nearing end of life and needs to be replaced. Since the current system needs to be replaced there are advantages to making the entire 5-12 geothermal. We would probably not consider geothermal if the current system did not need to be replaced. A third reason for considering geothermal is the fact it is less expensive to operate which will enable more funds to be spent on students and student learning. Q. What sort of elevator will be in the two-story addition? There will be a standard elevator in the two-story addition. Q. Is growth in enrollment planned for in the proposal? Is there a contingency plan should enrollment grow significantly? The proposal would include a few additional rooms beyond our current needs. If enrollment grew significantly between passing a bond referendum and completion of the project both the MS and Intermediate building could continue to be used on a short term basis. EXISTING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL Q. What efforts have been made to sell and/or repurpose the two existing schools that would be vacated? No specific plans have been made at this time. Q. How does that effort compare to the precedent set in Scranton and Rippey? At some level, both the Scranton and Rippey buildings were looked at in a similar manner. The question is asked whether there is anyone interested in repurposing the building. If arrangements cannot be made, demolition of all or part of the buildings would be necessary. Q. What guarantee would Grand Junction residents have that the building there wouldn t become a blight?
If arrangements cannot be made to repurpose the building, demolition of all or part of the building will be the other option. Q. Has the Greene County Early Learning Center board indicated interest in ownership of the administrative building? I have talked with employees and individual board members about this possibility. I was scheduled to address the Greene County Early Learning Center Board on July 16 th. This has been moved back to July 27 th. TOTAL BENEFIT Q. Please provide the elevator speech about why voters should approve this bond issue. Why should I agree to pay higher property taxes for this project (in fewer than 100 words or so)? The bond referendum will accomplish three key things. First it will enable us to complete work to the entrances and offices in each building along with the parking and accessibility of each building in order to provide for greater safety and security. Safety and security are further bolstered by close proximity to the LEC and the Greene County Medical Center. Second we will be able to consolidate into two buildings making us extremely efficient which is necessary in today s challenging financial times. Third the bond referendum will provide us with updated academic and activity facilities necessary to compete for students as new families explore moving to Greene County and existing families explore staying.