Dear Parent(s) and Community Member,
On behalf of the Vestaburg Board of Education, I am writing to inform you of an upcoming bond proposal. As a result of the 2009 bond, we were able to update and add to many of our facilities, which have provided a richer educational experience for our students. As part of our responsibility to our students and our community, the district is committed to being good stewards of the resources we have been so generously provided. With this commitment in mind, on November 6, 2018 voters in the Vestaburg Community School district will be asked to vote on a bond proposal to continue addressing our facility needs.
Bond Overview
A school bond election is a bond issue used by a public school district to finance a building project or other capital project. These measures are placed on the ballot by district school boards to be approved or defeated by the voting public. The bond funds can only be used for the purposes expressed on the ballot.
The upcoming proposal comes as the result of many years of hard work by the Board of Education and staff creating a long-term strategic plan identifying current and future needs of district facilities. Upon reviewing the results of our survey, it has been decided to address immediate, essential needs for our schools. Therefore, the Board of Education is asking voters whether or not to increase 1.6 mills that would generate approximately $2,180,000 to pay for these district needs.
Facility Improvement Scope:
The bond will pay for the following needed improvements across the district:
· Roof Replacement - Most of the facility’s roof is beyond its life expectancy and needs repair and/or replacement to resolve current leaking issues. Additionally, the most recently updated sections are nearing their 10 to 15-year warranty expiration and will need to be updated in the next five (5) to 10 years. After a cost analysis, it has been concluded that it is most effective to support an extended warrantied roof that will serve the facility for the next 40 or more years.
· Upgraded Transportation - Currently, we have a fleet of eight (8) buses that are in use daily, with the newest addition in 2008 and reaching the end of their useful life period. The bond funds would be used to purchase up to four (4) new school buses to update our fleet.
· Upgraded High School Gymnasium Bleachers - The current bleachers are the original wood, which is degrading thus requiring us to replace several boards each year costing hundreds per board. Additionally, they are not up to the current American with Disabilities Act standards.
· Additional – If funds permit, updates may be made to the bathrooms and classrooms in the older sections of our building.
Tax Impact:
As many of you are aware, school funding is always an issue. Not every district is funded at the same level, nor are all communities blessed with the same level of resources. Some schools are funded at a higher per student rate than others, and the funding generated through taxes is dependent on the size and structure of the district.
If approved by voters, the upcoming district’s bond will create an expected annual increase of $1.60 to each $1,000 of your home’s taxable value. See tax impact formula below:
Home Taxable Value / 1000 X 1.6 = Annual Increase
Example for $100,000 home value:
$50,000 taxable value/1000 X 1.6 = $80.00/year or $6.60 a month.
In the coming weeks, I will communicate more information on behalf of the school district related to the specifics of the bond proposal. We want to make sure everyone understands the needs and the financial impact of meeting those needs. We welcome you to stay tuned for further information on the upcoming bond, welcome your comments and questions and look forward to you voting this November.
Sincerely,
Brandon Hubbard
Superintendent
Vestaburg Community Schools
