By SARAH PARKER | County Line Editor
Architectural and structural engineering firm FEH, based in Dubuque, Iowa, gave a presentation Monday on a Royall building referendum slated for April 2022.
Financial services company Robert W. Baird has offered three hypothetical referendum scenarios:
• $8.5 million with no tax-rate impact (older school debt soon will be paid off, resulting in a constant tax rate even if a new referendum is passed)
• $10 million with a 30-cent tax impact per $1,000 of property valuation. In other words, the owner of a $100,000 property would pay an extra $30 in taxes annually; and the owner of a $200 property, $60 in taxes.
• $13 million with an 89-cent tax impact per $1,000 of property valuation. The owner of a $100,000 property would pay $89 more in property taxes; and the owner of a $200,000 property, $178.
Because the Royall School District is in the state tertiary bracket, it would receive 38.8 percent of its referendum funding from the state.
Throughout late 2021 and early 2022, an advisory task force has met to consider priorities for a building referendum, developing a list featuring an array of potential projects. Seventy-three task force members voted for their top priorities earlier this year.
Top on the list is a plan to connect all of the district buildings and create one secure daytime entry. The estimated cost is $3.75 million.
The next priority item calls for projects to bring the buildings up to code and in alignment with American with Disabilities Act requirements (such as replacing the stairs at the high school entrance with a ramp). The projected cost of that endeavor is $103,000.
Also near the top of the list is a plan to build a new, full-sized gym to place the intermediate school gym at a cost of $6,095,000. Though no final decision has been made, Superintendent Mark Gruen suggested that the intermediate school gym could become a wrestling room.
Other projects near the top of the list are expanded space for special education, industrial technology, the middle school/high school cafeteria, the middle school/high school library, and the elementary office. If all of the above projects are done, the projected cost is $15,560,000.
Updated science laboratories and additional athletic storage also ranked highly, the FEH representative said.
To cover the cost of the projects, the district also is applying for a FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure Grant, which could bring in about $3.4 million for new construction. The district will learn in June whether it has been approved for the grant and will decide then whether to accept it. The district will have to pay matching funds, which will ultimately depend on its “impoverished” criteria, such as per-capita income and population figures.
Many other items made the list and likely will be included in the district’s long-term plans, such as a childcare center, expanded parking, and a new football practice field, among other proposals.
In the next step in the process, after the district learns the status of its FEMA grant in June, SEH will survey the broader community to further refine referendum priorities.
Speaking after FEH’s presentation, district resident and task force member Lorraine Riedl praised the group’s work, but she noted that the district also needed to focus on books, supplies and “well-trained educators.”
“We need to pay for all of that.”
She added, “The process I was privileged to participate in was a very thoughtful, well defined and systematic approach to define our needs as well as explore all of the avenues to improve our facilities. They were creative solutions.”
But she reiterated that books, supplies and salaries were not included.
She urged the audience “not to be distracted by all of the new shiny and not max out the checkbooks.”
Additionally, she suggested that the district should “focus on the solution that will give us the most education bang for our buck and not participate in the school district one-upmanship, if you will.”
Andy Bender, a district parent and task force member, also praised the process of ranking priority items.
“We built the foundation for us to move forward … I will say this: I do want to have the best school in the area. I want us to grow. I want Royall to be around forever. And if we are one of the better schools in the area, that will keep us alive.”
Other business
• The board elected new officers: Doug Waterman, president; Marie Vitcenda, vice president; Loretta Kranz, clerk; and Sara Palamaruk, treasurer.
• The board agreed to install air conditioning at the elementary school, with the intention of using federal Education Stabilization Funds, which are provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
• The board accepted the retirement of 25-year paraprofessional Cheryl Dougherty and the resignations of Nikki Logan, paraprofessional; Carissa Huebner, elementary teacher; and Kevin Lewrence, custodian. Also, Samantha Hillesheim was hired as a new fifth-grade teacher.
• During the public comment session, volleyball coach Craig Baeseman praised athletic director Sarah Gruen for her work during the tournaments.
“We have to recognize the work she put in as an AD this week,” he said, which was met with applause from the audience.
• Chris Brown of Elroy noted that the school’s concession stand would reopen for athletic events.
• The board went into a closed session but did not make a motion afterward.
• The district recently closed out a $30,000 school safety grant, which covered the cost of new doors for the cafeteria and an upgrade to exterior door locks.
• The board agreed to purchase a new dust collector for $41,963 for the industrial technology department from Donaldson Torit. That purchase also will be covered by federal Education Stabilization Funds.
• Don Mecozzi was hired as a new custodian.