Monday, September 11, 2017

Questions Raised about the CCA Bond

A flyer was posted around Tiffin this evening. Please consider that there is misinformation in the flyer. Please take the time to consider factual information as you go to the polls tomorrow.

Proposed HS Parking: $2.564 million. The long range plans would project a new HS opening in 2027. Ten years from now. The current lot at the high school will be overflowing well before then.

Proposed New Entry at the MS: Will not require removing the current drive. Will create another drive out, allowing traffic to loop through instead of turning around in the lot and coming back out the same way.

Proposed entrance to the elementary: I assume they are referencing Tiffin Elementary as one year old. Nothing is happening there. The other elementary buildings will have improved security, like TE, where visitors must be buzzed in through the office in order to enter the building.

Public Library Space: This has no effect on classroom space, or library space for that matter. The city public library is allowed to keep the space open extra hours. They also pay for staffing and materials.

The CCA tax rate did go up in FY 17. This was do to the need to utilize the Cash Reserve Levy. Without utilizing this levy we wouldn't have the cash to pay our bills, even though we have more than enough spending authority. As I've said all along, even with the district rate staying constant, if property valuations continue to rise the dollar amount patrons are asked to pay will increase. The general fund of the district is limited to the dollars we can generate by a per pupil funding formula. So that portion of the rate is variable. The debt service portion of the CCA rate would generate more dollars to pay off debt as valuations increase. I have no idea where the 10-15% increase came from. I probably did say the debt service portion of our rate could only go up a small amount. It can't exceed $4.05.

I would be very interested to hear how we can meet the needs of our growing population without a bond issue to create more classroom space. Tiffin Elementary currently has 449 students attending and North Bend Elementary currently has 459 students attending. North Bend is over its instructional capacity of 450 students, the faculty work room is being utilized as a classroom this year. If the district utilized bussing fully to Clear Creek Elementary and Amana Elementary we are projected to exceed total elementary capacity ofter the 2020-2021 school year.

The last bond vote was in February, 2014. If we stick to the long range plan and continue to grow as projected I would anticipate another vote in 2022, 5 years from now.

Please feel free to email me with any questions: timkuehl@ccaschools.org

Sincerely,

Tim Kuehl, Superintendent


No comments:

Post a Comment