The Spring Valley School Board on Jan. 8 gave the go-ahead for an April 1 referendum to seek voter approval of $13.15 million in bonds to pay for facility improvements.
At its Jan. 15 meeting, …
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The Spring Valley School Board on Jan. 8 gave the go-ahead for an April 1 referendum to seek voter approval of $13.15 million in bonds to pay for facility improvements.
At its Jan. 15 meeting, the Spring Valley school district board is scheduled to consider resolutions authorizing general obligation bonds and a referendum with two ballot measures: Question One to approve up to $9.8 million for various infrastructure upgrades, including a transportation garage, and Question Two for up to $3.35 million to develop a basic, eight-lane athletic track and make major improvements at Syverson Pool.
The maximum tax impact on a property with a fair market value of $200,000 would total an estimated $230 per year if voters approve both questions, assuming the bonds are amortized over 20 years at a 5 percent interest rate. Question 1’s annual estimated tax impact would be $170 while Question 2 would have an impact of $60 for the $200,000 property, according to a planning estimate prepared for the district on Nov. 26 by Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc., a Milwaukee-based financial advisory firm.
District Administrator John Groh said, “these are conservative numbers,” adding that interest rates have trended below 5 percent.
Groh recommended a two-question referendum, with the first focused on basic infrastructure projects that the community supports and at a spending level in line with the community’s “tax tolerance.” In addition to a transportation building with an estimated cost of $1.5 million, Question 1 would fund heating, electrical and plumbing upgrades and deferred maintenance projects at the elementary school and middle school/high school.
On the second question items, Groh said Syverson Pool “is a beloved facility.” Question 2 would fund pool mechanical, electrical and deferred maintenance projects costing an estimated $221,500. Regarding the athletic track, Groh said 41 percent of the community supported a $7.1 million athletic complex in the 2023 referendum. Question 2 would fund a “much, much scaled down project” costing an estimated $2.695 million, Groh said.
District consultant Rob Brown of Nexus Solutions said Question 1 would fund “needs” and Question 2 would support “significant wants.” The district partnered with Nexus in 2023 to develop a 10-year facilities plan. Brown also said breaking the asks into two questions gives voters “something to say no to” if they’re so inclined.
“Nothing in this (project) list is frivolous,” Groh said.
Board member Joan Ford suggested tapping the district’s Fund 46 account to defray a portion of project costs, raising concerns about the reaction to bond proposals from voters on fixed incomes. Fund 46 is a district account dedicated to capital improvement projects. Currently, the fund holds $1.6 million set aside from end-of-year fiscal surpluses.
Ford suggested voters wouldn’t necessarily want to use all the Fund 46 revenues, but might be concerned that “you’re sitting on a pot of money.”
Board member Jennelle Wolf raised concerns about putting Question 2 on the ballot. “I would love to have a track, but I’m a little hesitant to do it half-way,” Wolf said, adding that getting Question 1 passed is critical.
Board member Bobbie Jaeger countered that she “feels comfortable” that a referendum will pass. Jaeger said the district’s 2023 referendum failed because “we really fell short of educating” voters. With the work of the community task force that recommended another referendum, “we’re at a different level” of community readiness, Jaeger added.
The task force recommended a two-question referendum to seek voter approval of $13.15 million for facility improvements. Task force members presented their recommendation and findings from a community survey at the board’s Dec. 18 meeting.