At the beginning of my tenure well more than a decade ago the board was steadfast in their desire to utilize a 'pay as we go' approach to capital improvements. The first couple of projects we tackled were parking lots, ones that were relatively easy to fund with cash on hand. But, as the years went by the 'low hanging fruit' became much higher to reach on the proverbial tree. Yet that strategy served us well and we were able to complete some great facility projects on behalf of the citizens of our community and the students we serve. Once we started master facility planning in 2018 it became apparent the 'pay as you go' philosophy would soon come face to face with the reality of time versus the ability to get the job done. Still, we persevered. Both Phase I and Phase II of the elementary renovation were funded with cash on hand. One of the proudest moments for the board came with the completion of Phase I, which made the competition gym accessible with the installation of the ramp at the south entrance. Once we got to Phase III though, it was apparent this work could not be completed using a 'pay as you go approach'. That is, unless the community was comfortable with a completion date sometime closer to (or beyond) my retirement.
Generally speaking, I am sensitive to property taxes; as well you may be. With that mindset, when preparing our annual budget we have kept that at the forefront of our thinking and worked hard to be responsible stewards of the tax dollar. It was with that context we approached Phase III. Instead of relying on property taxes, we would utilize sales tax; selling revenue bonds and using the proceeds to fund the project. Hopefully you agree we have a beautiful building for our efforts.
Again though, when we began our planning in 2018 we understood that at some point a referendum was likely in our future. And in so doing, the voters would need to weigh in and have their voices heard. That is where we find ourselves today. While the pandemic put a hold on our plans, it also created an opportunity to rethink our priorities and re-engage with our community.
To that end, we convened a task force of stakeholders that represented a broad cross section of our community. It included retirees, young families, employees, business owners, and farmers. Beginning in January of 2021, the group met regularly to scrutinize our high school facility and consider the future. They examined the building, brainstormed ideas, and considered how best to meet the needs of our students today and tomorrow. They met with architects, financial planners, and engineers. Each member of our task force brought their own area of expertise, be it as a contractor themselves, a parent of students in our schools, or a community member that has a vested interest in the success of our local public school district. I am incredibly proud of the work put forth by our task force and am honored they gave us their gift of time in this endeavor.
In their discernment, they realized that many of our building mechanical systems have reached 'end of life'. Air handling systems no longer work properly (and in some instances never worked properly from the beginning). Our current library space is woefully underutilized. The industrial technology building has far outlasted its usefulness as an instructional space, particularly when compared to the industry standards of today. Furthermore, school safety is a top priority; and while recent efforts to improve security have been implemented, a safe and secure entrance similar to the K-8 attendance center would give everyone greater peace of mind. And finally, the task force recommended that we add gym space. The fact of the matter is that as enrollment grows, so too will our need for classroom space. Part of our classroom space issue will be resolved by reimagining our library. At the same time though, gym space serves more than one purpose as a competition venue. It also serves as a classroom space. The time isn't too far away and we'll be teaching two physical education classes concurrently.
To help you learn more about the work of the task force, the key components of the proposed project, and the taxing implications of this referendum, you are encouraged to attend one of our upcoming public meetings. We'll have community meetings on August 16th at 12:00 p.m. in the Hudson High School library and then again on August 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the library. A special event designed for parents will also be held in conjunction with Open House on August 18th.
As we go through the next couple of months in preparation for the referendum, you are encouraged to ask questions. You can submit your questions to our website: www.hudsonschoolbond.org, just scroll to the bottom of the page to make your submission. You are also able to stay up to date on the latest information by checking out our FAQ which is updated frequently.
Following that, our work is complete. The time for you to cast your vote at the polls will soon be upon us. How do you do that? Vote on September 13th! And to ensure we give everyone ample opportunity to have their voices heard, you can choose to vote early on September 2nd from 4:00-8:00 p.m. in the competition gym, which is the same evening as our home opener football game against BCLUW.
Is the investment in our community; in our school worth it? You'll have to decide when you visit the ballot box.
No comments:
Post a Comment