M-P plans bond issue for $37 million in facilities plans

By Molly Roberts
Posted 11/30/21

At the regular meeting of the Mid-Prairie School Board on Monday, Nov. 22, the board reached consensus about which facilities projects they would like to move forward with, pitching a 60-cent tax …

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M-P plans bond issue for $37 million in facilities plans

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At the regular meeting of the Mid-Prairie School Board on Monday, Nov. 22, the board reached consensus about which facilities projects they would like to move forward with, pitching a 60-cent tax increase in the next bond election. The bond referendum, if passed, would raise the district’s property tax rate to $3.30 per $1,000.

The facilities plan has been under discussion for several months, and will include a 600-seat auditorium, additional classrooms at the middle school and East Elementary, a new wrestling and weight room, middle school gym and a renovation to the middle school commons, among other projects.

“After a lengthy discussion, the board came to consensus about construction projects that they would like to see,” said Mid-Prairie superintendent Mark Schneider. “The total was around $37 million and will require going to the public with a bond issue… the projects will be funded in three different parts: general obligation bonds through a bond issue, revenue bonds purchased with Sales Tax and donations.”

The proposed auditorium is estimated to cost $13.3 million, with additional classrooms at each location costing between $2.1 and $2.5 million. The current cost estimate for all projects is $37.6 million. Private donors have committed $1.4 million to the auditorium project and additional fundraising efforts are expected.

The board reached consensus on their approach to bonding, with $26 million proposed for General Obligation Bonds and $10.7 million from SAVE Fund Revenue Bonds. Potential tax rates for the General Obligation Bonds would increase bond levy rates by $0.60 to $3.30, which is above the current approved limit for debt service. The board gave Schneider the go head to work with legal counsel to write the two questions for a General Obligation Bond issue and for an increase to the maximum debt service tax rate to $4.05.

At the start of the regular meeting, the old school board was retired, which former president Jeremy Gugel and Jodi Meader retiring. The board moved to accept the election results, which were canvassed by the three counties on Nov. 16 for the Nov. 2 election. A total of 2,900 votes were cast in the election for three open seats. The top three candidates receiving votes were Jed Seward (560), Gabrielle Frederick (419) and Jake Snider (365).

After the 2020-2021 board was retired, the oath of office was administered to Seward, Frederick and Snider as the newly elected school board members.

Marianne Schlabach nominated Jeremy Pickard as the president of the board and Gabrielle Frederick nominated Schlabach for vice president. Both motions passed unanimously, 6-0, with the nominees abstaining.

A public hearing on SAVE Bonds will be held at the beginning of the next regular school board meeting on Dec. 13 at 6:15 p.m. at the Centeral Office Community Room.