Ballot language approved for fall election; school seeks $20M
YALE — Earlier this year, voters in the Yale school district made their feelings known when they soundly rejected a school bond proposal by a wide margin.
One of the major sticking points was whether or not a “multi-purpose flex building” would be approved. Despite plans that called for using the building for more than athletics, for things such as performing arts and robotics, voters said no by more than a 2-1 margin.
Since then, the school board has been working, listening to stakeholders, and refining another proposal that will be put before the voters on Nov. 3.
An online survey conducted in June/July provided the board information where respondents said to “take care of what you have and don’t add to the footprint,” said to Superintendent Kurt Sutton.
The board has spent the past several meetings trimming items from the previous bond request and have settled on what they feel is a proposal that makes sense and addresses many needs district-wide.
“We have an HVAC system [at the high school] that is over 30 years old and needs to be replaced,” Sutton said. “They do not make parts for the system anymore. It has to be replaced. We have been told it could cost around $8.8 million. We don’t have that kind of money in the budget, or in the sinking fund. That is a major expenditure.”
Last week, following its organizational meeting, the board approved ballot language that will be submitted to the State Treasury Department, setting in motion the steps for an election in November. The bond is for $20 million to be repaid over a 14-year period and would be a “general obligation unlimited tax bond,” a municipal debt tool used by governments or school districts to fund public projects.
The purpose of the funding would cover costs associated with “remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing, and equipping, and re-equipping school buildings; and equipping, developing and improving playgrounds, driveways, parking areas and sites” if the bond is successful.
At the meeting July 7, School Board President Pete Bullard told members, “this is just another step in the process of moving forward to get this on the ballot in November. We’re just considering the wording and deciding how we want to move forward, or if we do.”
The wording that was sent to the state included: “The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2027, under current law, is 1.4 mills ($1.40 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is fourteen (14) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.48 mills ($2.48 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).”
The bond proposal wording said, “the school district does not expect to borrow from the State to pay debt service on the bonds The total amount of bonds currently outstanding is $11,900,000. The total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is $0.00. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.”
The board voted 7-0 to approve the ballot language, allowing it to proceed to the State Treasury Department.
