West Nodaway explains bond issue needs
STEVE HARTMAN/DAILY FORUM
West Nodaway R-I Superintendent Nancy Greeley addresses the approximately 20 district patrons and staff gathered at an open public forum, which explained West Nodaway’s need for revenues from an upcoming $1.2 million bond issue.
Approximately 20 district patrons and staff gathered at the West Nodaway R-I media center Monday for an open forum concerning the district’s $1.2 million bond issue, Proposition 2, which will appear on the upcoming April 7 ballot.
The issue needs a simple majority to pass.
“In February of 2014, the West Nodaway Board of Education put together a committee to study the strengths and weaknesses of the district’s facilities,” West Nodaway Superintendent Nancy Greeley said. “I commend them for their work, and we had them prioritize their findings.”
The facility committee identified the top district need as replacement of the district’s heating and cooling system, followed by tile replacement and flooring work in both the elementary and high school buildings, improving the look and efficiency of the district bus barn and repairs to the school parking lot.
“The Board and I made the decision to begin work on the parking lot, and new tubing and three new drainage wells will be put in,” Greeley said. “Work will begin on this project once school is out and these improvements will happen whether the bond issue passes or not.
“We had to get the water to drain away from the parking lot before decisions could be made on what to do to improve it. Once the parking lot drains correctly, then the board will have some decisions to make it terms of resurfacing options.”
Greeley said the Board of Education realized to address the other problems the district facility committee identified, additional funds would be needed, and the decision to go to the district voters with Proposition 2, the $1.2 million no-tax increase general obligation bond was made.
“This bond issue does not raise taxes, but adds on 20 years until the bond is paid off,” Greeley said. “We have a very competitive levy now, and have tried to be frugal in terms of keeping expenses to a minimum. Our levy in 2004 was $4.76 plus a .50 debt service. Today, our levy is sitting at $4.11 plus the .50 debt service.”
The district has hired CTS, from St. Louis, as project provider and representatives from the company were at the open forum to explain the need for the projects.
“When the elementary building was built in 1994, the original plans called for ground source heat and the use of wells,” CTS project director Jim Blumfelder said. “To save money, the decision was made to go from a well system to a ‘slinky’ system, which was not properly installed. Because of the improper installation, the system never functioned correctly.”
Greeley said during the winter months, water coming into the system would be in the 40-45 degree range, causing the pumps to work 24/7 to try and bring the water temperature up.
“We would have classrooms where the temperature never got above 50 degrees,” Greeley said. “Plus, the old system had one temperature control for a group of four rooms.”
During the summer months, the temperature of water coming into the system from outside would routinely be over 90 degrees, temperature-wise, making the pumps continue to run 24/7 to cool the water.
Blumfelder said the CTS system is ready to install, providing the bond issue passes, and will use the well system, with 32 wells being drilled 300 feet below ground.
“This will be deep enough that the water temperature coming into the system will not need nearly as much heating and cooling, so the pumps will not have to work as hard. Also, each room will have an individual temperature control.”
CTS projects the system will save the West Nodaway district nearly $17,000 annually in energy costs, and because of proper installation of the system, they guarantee that savings.
“If the district doesn’t save that amount, we will write a check for the difference,” Blumfelder said.
If the bond issue passes, CTS will also oversee the floor repair in both buildings, as well as repairs to the district’s bus barn.
“The plan is to put a new roof on the bus barn,” Greeley said. “Plus, we want to put new siding on it and reinsulate it. It is structurally sound, but the leaky roof has compromised the existing insulation. We will also remove some windows in the existing structure, and those we don’t remove, we will replace.”
Pending approval of the bond, work on the projects will start immediately, and CTS managing partner Scott Ririe felt confident in saying that “substantial completion” of all projects will be achieved by the time students return for the 2015-16 school term.
“I feel confident based on our plan that we will have the projects completed in time for school in the fall,” Ririe said. “We are prepared to begin as soon as the bond passes and we get the go-ahead to begin.”
