USD 333 board discusses facilities plan

The Concordia Unified School District 333 board of education continued its discussions on a possible facilities improvement plan at the Concordia Junior-Senior High School building during a special meeting on Friday.
A $48.5 million bond issue to fund facilities improvements in the school district was defeated in 2021.
It was determined that there were issues with the facilities that needed to be addressed, and the board began discussions on possible solutions in October 2022.
A proposed plan for upgrades to the junior-senior high school was presented to the school board during its December meeting.
With an estimated cost of $33.6 million, the plan presented addressed five areas of need that had been identified.
The areas of need, and the estimated cost of the renovations, include:
• Infrastructure – HVAC, fire protection, fire alarm, electrical gear, exterior envelope upgrades (new windows, roof, exterior repairs). $13,492,035.
• Renovations – Accessibility – ADA, plus circulation; competition gym access, plus safety; classroom bar elevator. $3,689,830.
• Renovations – Program Upgrades – Science room renovations; classroom bar (restrooms, hallways, classrooms); lockers (athletic lockers, physical education lockers); 2D/3D art and video productions. $6,616,255.
•Renovations – Misc. Upgrades – Auditorium, could include seats, lights, finishes; secure entrance; general finishes, library, band and music, cafeteria/kitchen, health, offices; finish work. $4,648,320.
• Auxiliary gymnasium – New auxiliary gymnasium; 10,000 square-feet, lockers, seating, cross courts; possible connecting link. $5,164,800.
During the special meeting on Friday, Tucker Peddicord, Lighthouse Construction Guidance and Mark Franzen, HTK Architects, presented plan revisions that had been discussed by the board, and Dustin Avey, managing director of Piper Sandler, presented financial information related to a possible bond issue being presented to voters.
Included in the proposed plan is the construction of a 10,000-square-foot auxiliary gymnasium that is a pre-engineered metal building that features some lockers and seating and two cross courts. The estimated cost of the building is $3.9 million.
The gymnasium would replace the 1929 gymnasium located in the high school that has been determined to be unsafe.
The original plan for the gymnasium had the option of a connecting link to the junior-senior high school with an estimated cost of $1.3 million.
“It seemed like last time it was pretty much a consensus to not do a connecting link,” Peddicord said.
Board member Kevin Pounds said that he believes that the buildings need to be connected.
Peddicord said that the $33.6 million is the starting point.
“There are two things we can do here: we can go through and debate and decide what you want to pull out and reduce it or we can have Dustin (Avey) provide financial information and maybe that can help you make a decision,” Peddicord said.
Avey presented the board with information on the potential property tax increase of a $30 million bond of 20 years and 25 years. That included the projected mill levy increase for a plan that does not include support from a one-percent citywide general use sales tax, the increase with a one-percent sales tax for 10 years and a one-percent sales tax for the full term of the bond.
Voted down along with the $48.5 million bond issue in 2021 was a proposed one-percent citywide general purpose sales tax that would have helped fund the facilities improvements and lowered the burden on property owners.
A 20-year bond with no sales tax would lead to a tax rate increase of 22.229 mills and raise the property taxes on a home valued at $100,000 by $255.63 per year. With a sales tax for 10 years the tax rate increases by 11.979 mills and the property tax on a $100,000 home goes up by $137.76 annually. A 20-year bond with the sales tax for the full term increases the tax rate by 5.729 mills and the taxes on a $100,000 home by $65.88 per year.
Board member Brad Berk suggested addressing the facilities needs using only a one-percent citywide sales tax.
“Get your main things. Hopefully you can get that out of there in seven to eight years, quicker than the 10 years. Because the mill levy isn’t going to fly,” Berk said.
Board president Bryan Bombardier said that he liked the $30 million number for a facilities plan.
“The community group told us, what, $35 million they would support. We have given them that and more. I don’t think it is bad to ask them, hey, you guys wanted this, the $30 million. We have given you a plan. I get the concern, nobody likes paying taxes,” Bombardier said.
Pounds said that he has served four terms on the school board and he is very proud of looking at the district mill levy rate.
“I can walk away from here and say we managed your money to the best of our ability,” Pounds said.
Peddicord asked the board members to have discussions on what to peel back on the plan if $30 million is the target, if they leave it where it is.
“Ultimately what we need is, at some point, a decision on if we are going to go talk to the city again about a partnership (sales tax) because it has a major impact on the financial plan,” Peddicord said.