Friday, September 11, 2009

School board approves October levy election

District seeking $59.8 million over next 10 years


By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Penfield Stroh points out a list of foreclosures in the legal section of the Idaho Mountain Express at Tuesday’s meeting of the Blaine County School District board of trustees. Photo by David N. Seelig

The Blaine County School District board of trustees has approved putting a $59.8 million plant facilities levy to the voters on Oct. 29.

The board unanimously approved the proposed levy at its monthly meeting Tuesday evening. There was no discussion by the trustees prior to the vote.

The motion to approve was made by Trustee Steve Guthrie and seconded by Trustee Daniel Parke. Guthrie, Parke and Trustee Paul Bates voted affirmative. Board Chairwoman Julie Dahlgren did not vote. Trustee Mari Beth Matthews was not at the meeting.

The district is seeking $59,798,859 in property tax assessment over the next 10 years. The levy would fund $10.1 million in technology enhancements, $2.2 million in safety and security upgrades and $47.4 million in new construction and facility improvements.

The levy would replace an existing 10-year plant facilities levy that expires in July 2010 and a bond issue approved by the electorate in 1993. District officials expect that the bond issue will be repaid next summer. The existing levy and the bond issue raised about $62 million for the district.

Tuesday's vote followed a presentation by Lynn Askew, co-chair of a 21-member levy committee comprised of district employees and the community members. Askew said the levy committee has been working since April to study the measure and fine-tune the proposal.

Askew pointed out that the proposed levy is tied to implementation of the district's strategic plan, a blueprint for district ambitions over the next 10 years. Specifically, the levy would fund implementation of strategic plan Goal 7 on technology, Goal 8 on safety and security, and Goal 9 on facilities.

"There was extensive public involvement in development of the strategic plan and the levy proposal," Askew said.

He said the committee carefully looked at all items on the proposed funding list, but was especially protective of safety and security upgrades.

"We've had incidents here at our schools that maybe we weren't ready for," Askew said. "Nobody on the committee wanted to take a dime out of that."

Several district patrons spoke for or against the proposed levy during a public comment period prior to the vote.

< <

"In these hard economic times, I just ask that you give great consideration that every dollar is of benefit to the kids," said mid-valley resident Bob Corker.

Hailey resident Penfield Stroh held up a copy of a legal section of the Idaho Mountain Express and pointed out that there were 39 foreclosures listed.

"It's of concern to me that the scope of the levy is so very broad and taxes should be going down rather than up at this time," Stroh said. "I was hoping that the focus would stay on the education of the kids and not on construction."

Hailey resident Kathryn Graves asked that the board delay the levy vote to "get more community involvement on this."

"When I look at the levy I see that there are some needs in there that need to be done and I also see a big wish list," Graves said.

Former school board Chairwoman Alexandra Sundali said, "I'm in here in support of the levy." She said properly educating children requires having the best teachers available, safety and security, new technology and adequate facilities.

"Kids cannot be educated in closets," Sundali said. "We cannot take away from education—education is our future."

District Superintendent Lonnie Barber said the levy is needed to help fund the strategic plan.

"We will not die if the levy does not pass, but I'll tell you what will happen—the strategic plan cannot go forward as designed with all the wonderful things it brings."

Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com

Levy committee

A committee comprised of 21 Blaine County School District employees and the community members developed the funding list for a proposed $59.8 million plant facilities levy. District employees include Superintendent Lonnie Barber, Mike Chatterton, Heather Crocker, Howard Royal, Jerry Hutchins, Juan Salamanca, Matt Murray and Molly Michalec. Community members include Co-Chairs Lynn and Janet Askew, County Commissioner Larry Schoen, Jeff Neel, Jenni Davidson, Jim Laski, Joan Davies, John Gaeddert, Millie Reidy, Rob Lonning, Spence Ellsworth, Sue Galgano and Theresa Castellano-Wood.




 Local Weather 
Search archives:


Copyright © 2024 Express Publishing Inc.   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.