Voters in the Smithton R-VI School District will decide April 7 whether to approve a $3.5 million general obligation bond issue aimed at improving safety, accessibility and infrastructure across the district’s campus.
The proposal, listed on the ballot as Proposition T.I.G.E.R., would allow the district to borrow $3.5 million for a variety of facility upgrades, including security improvements, renovations to the elementary drop-off area, playground upgrades, parking expansion, relocation of the preschool, HVAC replacement and classroom renovations.
If approved, the measure would result in an estimated increase to the district’s debt service property tax levy of 45 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, bringing the levy from $0.00 to $0.45.
Superintendent David Bray said the proposal stems from priorities identified in the district’s long-range facilities plan.
“We could find more than that, but $3.5 million would get us some of the priorities on our long-range facility plan,” Bray said. “That’s what led us to this. We had a bunch of interrelated projects on our long range plan, which is a community driven plan, and as a board and as of course as superintendent we see as we start moving things up on that priority list we saw these coming and so we’ve had to kind of look at a different way to fund them than we have been able to do over the past six years.”
Many of the proposed improvements focus on security, accessibility and traffic safety around the school campus.
Bray said some of the projects address modern safety expectations for schools, including secured entrances and improved access for students with disabilities.
“You know those are bigger ticket items when you start talking about redoing some site pieces and recreating some spaces,” Bray said.
One key component of the proposal would relocate the district’s preschool program into the main school building. Currently, the preschool operates in a separate single-level building away from the main campus.
"Moving our preschool from a current single-level building into our building in a basement space that walks out,” Bray said. “Currently, they’re separated from us, so it impacts our ability to communicate with them, and it also impacts their ability to get to safety during bad weather.”
Other planned projects include upgrading the elementary playground to make it safer and more accessible, installing a secure vestibule at the remaining entrance that does not currently have one and creating a dedicated drop-off lane so parents no longer have to unload students along the street.
“We want to create a lane that’s squeezed only where we can pull our patrons in off the street during arrival and dismissal,” Bray said.
Additional improvements outlined in the proposal include converting lighting to LED, replacing heating, ventilation and air conditioning units, renovating classroom ceilings, floors and walls, improving sidewalks and adding new turf and landscaping.
Bray said the district has been meeting with residents to explain the proposal ahead of the election and answer questions.
“We’ve got a pretty good campaign committee out there,” Bray said, “I’ve had informational meetings, just making sure people understand what they’re going to see on the ballot and what it’s about.”
A public informational meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 30 in the school library, where community members can review the proposed projects and participate in a question-and-answer session.
According to Bray, early feedback from the community has been largely positive, particularly regarding safety improvements.
“We get a lot of positive feedback, and a lot of it is because of the clear safety concerns,” Bray said.
Chris Howell can be reached at 660-530-0146.
