Visit North Mason School District’s Web site to take a survey on a bond issue that will run in February.
The scope of the project and the amount of the bond is not firmly set. The School Board originally was considering a $58 bond million to renovate the high school, replace Hawkins Middle School and make improvements at both elementary schools.
But last Thursday, Superintendent David Peterson invited the school board to consider a different option for a $34 million bond.
Here’s what the survey has to say on background regarding the two proposals:
From the North Mason School District Web site:
“The NMSD Board will be asking citizens to vote on a capital
facilities bond on February 3, 2009. A committee of community
members has been working for several years to create a plan to ease
overcrowding at the high school, replace aging systems, improve
student safety, bring schools up to code, and address age-related
deterioration.
The cost of a full modernization and rehabilitation of our facilities is $58 million, at a tax rate of approximately $1.77 per thousand dollars of assessed property value. While the School Board agrees that all parts of the project are needed, the Board is considering reducing the project in order to reduce the tax.”
Here’s the $58 million proposal (again from the Web site
survey):
“The $58 million project would buy the community a new middle
school, convert the newer (1982) portion of Hawkins MS into high
school classroom, add a full sized cafeteria/commons and new PE/gym
to the high school, add a covered play area for Sand Hill
Elementary, and create safer traffic and parking patterns for
Belfair Elementary. The project would also replace systems (pumps,
boilers, etc) that are beyond their life expectancy.”
The estimated tax rate would be approximately $1.77 per thousand dollars of assessed property value.
Here’s the $34 million Proposal:
“This smaller project would add a full sized cafeteria/commons and
new PE/gym to the high school, modernize and repair Hawkins and
NMHS and add eight classrooms to NMHS. The project would also add a
covered play area for Sand Hill Elementary and create safer traffic
and parking patterns for Belfair Elementary. The project would also
replace systems (pumps, boilers, etc) that are beyond their life
expectancy.
The total cost of this option would be $34 million at an estimated tax rate of $1.19/thousand.”
Here’s what Peterson said in a recent e-mail about the survey:
“Dear Community Members,
Please complete this important five question survey. Also, please forward it to other voters, groups, clubs and community members.
Since proposing a school construction plan that would cost $58,030,000 (tax rate of $1.77/thousand), there has been much discussion. Is it too much money? Should we delay parts of the project, knowing the cost will only increase? Are there responsible alternatives?
These are your schools. They are paid for by your taxes. It is very important that we gain a solid understanding of the community’s wishes so we can have a plan that meets the students’ needs while gaining community support. … (here he give the address for the survey, listed above)
Thank you very much.
David Peterson, Superintendent
