Press Release
KIDS COMMITTEE
SCHEDULES
INFORMATION MEETINGS
Voters in Kingman-Norwich USD 331 will go to the polls on
May 7th to decide if now is right time to make needed capital
improvements to schools in Kingman and Norwich. Voters will be asked to consider two
questions for improvements. One in the
amount of $19.075 million and a second in the amount of $3.96 million.
The District has formed a volunteer K.I.D.S. Committee (Keep
Improving District Schools) to develop and share information about the
District’s challenges, the proposed bond issue solutions, and the cost and effect
on taxpayers. The goal of the KIDS
Committee is that every patron and voter in USD 331 has adequate information to
make an informed decision about the bond questions.
The KIDS Committee has scheduled two public informational
meetings as follows:
Wednesday, April 17th
6:30 PM Kingman High School
Cafeteria
Wednesday,
April 24th 6:00 PM Norwich Cafeteria
The informational meetings are planned for an hour and
refreshments will be served.
The Board of Education and Facility Steering Committees have
been meeting and considering facility needs for nearly 5 years. They looked at needs and options costing as
much as $36 million. As that amount of
debt was determined to not be affordable, they prioritized the greatest needs
and reduced the cost to no more than $24 million.
The Board at a recent meeting went a step further. They want to give voters choices as to how
much and what projects to address at this current time. Proposition No. 1 would construct
improvements at all 3 attendance centers to address safety and security
concerns, replace roofs and HVAC systems, and remodel certain spaces. The plan is also to relocate the 7th
and 8th grades to the high school building and demolish this space
at the Kingman Elementary/Middle School for operational efficiencies.
Proposition No. 2 would remodel classrooms and support
spaces at the Kingman Elementary School and make improvements and acquire
needed new playground equipment at Norwich School.
Reduced space to heat, cool, maintain and insure as well as
new more efficient mechanical systems are estimated to result in operating
savings of approximately $300,000 per year.
The District feels that now is an advantageous time to
consider the needed improvements and the bond issue to finance such. Bond
Interest rates, estimated at 3.75%, are still low making the cost of repayment
more affordable than in the past and USD 331 is currently eligible for
additional state aid at a 10% sharing ratio to help pay bond debt service. The estimated benefit of the state aid is
$3,450,000 (both questions). These are
tax monies collected state wide and redistributed to school districts that have
approved a bond issue by vote.
USD 331 is also making the last payment on a bond in April
that has been averaging a mill rate of 10.37 mills. The estimated new rate of the Proposition
No. 1 bonds is 15.67 mills—a net increase of 5.30 mills above the old bond
levy. Proposition No. 2 approval would
require an added mill rate of 3.29 mills.
Both Proposition improvements are needed; however, as
mentioned earlier, the Board wants to give voters a choice rather than all or
nothing. As the improvements in Proposition
No. 1 are considered the highest priority need, the Board is on record as
stating that if Proposition No. 1 is not approved, no bonds will be issued or
projects accomplished regardless of the vote on Proposition No. 2. The choices are then: (1) Proposition No. 1
alone; (2) Propositions No. 1 and 2 combined; or (3) None.
Anyone wishing to become involved with the KIDS Committee is
encouraged to contact the District offices at 532-3134.
For more bond issue information, access the USD 331 web
site: www.knusd331.com
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