Wednesday, November 11, 2009

District commits to annual levy reports

School superintendent appreciative of voter support


By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Superintendent Lonnie Barber promises that the Blaine County School District will issue reports annually to show how money is being spent from a 10-year, $59.8 million plant facilities levy approved by voters Oct. 29. Photo by Willy Cook

The Blaine County School District has committed to providing annual reports on how money is being spent from a 10-year, $59.8 million plant facilities levy approved by voters in October.

"We should absolutely be doing that, not just for our own records but for the community that just passed the levy," district Superintendent Lonnie Barber said in an interview Monday. "We'll do a yearly levy report—we'll account for all the money."

Approval of the levy on Oct. 29 authorizes the district to receive property taxes after July 1, 2010, to fund new technology, safety and security upgrades, school repairs, alternative energy development, resource conservation measures, new classrooms and a new elementary school if needed.

All of the items are specific goals in the district's strategic plan, which provides a blueprint for student and facility development through 2015.

Barber said the district will report annually, probably in May or June when budgets are developed, on progress toward implementation of the strategic plan. As part of that process, he said, the district will develop separate reports on how the levy money is being spent.

Full implementation of the strategic plan would not have been possible without approval of the levy, and Barber said he is heartened by the fact that voters gave the controversial measure a thumbs up.

"I feel great," he said. "We're thrilled that even in this economic situation the school district still has the support of the community. I wish I could reach out and thank every one of them who voted for it. We could not have been more appreciative of Blaine County, period."

The levy election was criticized by some because it was held only five days before the Nov. 3 general election. Barber readily acknowledged during public meetings prior to the vote that the levy election was held separate from the general election to improve its chance of passage.

"When you're honest about these things, you're going to catch some flack, but it's best to tell people why you're really doing it," Barber said. "We really feel like when we got more than 3,000 people out that we got a great turnout of people who were informed."

The district reported on levy election night that 3,220 voters cast votes. That represented about 27 percent of Blaine County's registered voters. The "yes" votes exceeded by 4 percent the 55 percent needed for passage.

"We've passed the levy, but that levy does not kick in until next year," Barber said. "But our intentions are to move forward with the projects that we can get into the ground early this spring.

"Now that the election process is over, the planning process will start in earnest right now."

Barber said the first projects to be undertaken might include building a new cafeteria at Bellevue Elementary School and a maintenance and food storage facility on district property on Aviation Drive in Hailey.

Also, he said, the district plans to get started on geothermal resource development and replacement of heating systems at Bellevue, Hailey and Hemingway elementary schools and at the Carey School elementary building.

District Business Manager Mike Chatterton said that a "judicial review" process will be held so the district can borrow money from the federal government at "0 percent" interest to get started on levy projects before the levy money is actually collected.

"In order to borrow against this levy, we have to have a judge review the process," Chatterton said.

Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com




 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.