Ritzville School District prepares to place bond on February ballot

The Ritzville School District is in the process of preparing to place a replacement capital improvement bond on the Feb. 9, 2016, election ballot. The current bond expires in December 2016, after passing in 2002 to help with the remodeling project in Gilson Gymnasium.

In preparation for the bond, Superintendent Rob Roettger assembled a Facilities Committee to help determine the most important aspects to focus on in the project. The committee consists of community leaders, school board members, school administrators and teachers, business owners and parents.

The current bond passed in 2002 at the approved rate of $1.90 per thousand of assessed property value. Roettger explained the current collection amount is $1.03 per thousand.

The school district had a Study and Survey Grant completed by Architects West to establish the condition and rating of the district buildings. The grant will help the district to identify the improvement needs within the district’s facilities.

Currently, Ritzville School District taxpayers are paying a total of $3.91 per thousand for the combination of the bond and the Maintenance and Operation (M&O) levies. The district is also renewing the M&O levy on the February ballot, and the goal is to make sure taxpayers do not see a large increase in the total amount paid.

The M&O monies pay for classroom and school support staff, technology, student activities, sports, equipment replacement and utilities. Roettger said a large portion of the M&O monies is used to pay utility costs, and funds are only for basic maintenance at the facilities. The bond is necessary in order to complete upgrades and renovations within the district’s aging buildings.

Each portion of the district facilities has a list of potential projects to be completed, and the Facilities Committee is assisting Roettger with prioritization of the projects. The list of potential projects is extensive, and the committee is working to narrow the list this fall.

The Ritzville Grade School building is 66 years old and is structurally sound, Roettger said. A few priority items that could be included in the bond would be updating windows, classroom storage closets, having updated safety improvements and updating existing furniture.

Other items on the list include fencing around the playground, roof and drainage improvements, HVAC needs and technology upgrades.

The Ritzville School District is operating on boilers installed in 2011, and the district still makes yearly payments of around $40,000. Because of this, the district would need to replace steam lines associated with the boilers and heating system, but could consider installing HVAC units for cooling. The steam lines throughout the high school are in need of replacement, Roettger said, and would be a priority item for that building.

The Lind-Ritzville High School facility is 58 years old, but has more structural issues than the grade school facility. Priority items at the high school could include steam line replacement, doors and window improvements, safety improvements, stucco and soffit replacement, and ventilation system and HVAC needs.

Other potential projects could include technology upgrades, carpet installation, locker improvements or removal, lighting improvements, and upgrades to the office and library portions of the building.

Roettger said there are also needs throughout the remainder of the grounds and in the transportation building. With ongoing water issues in the Gilson Gym parking lot, Roettger said an updated drainage system or new pavement could be a priority.

Other projects on the grounds could include underground sprinklers on the football field, painting the grandstands and former fairgrounds building, upgrading the scoreboard and lighting at the football field, and the potential for the addition of a second practice gym, adjoining Gilson Gym.

At the Ag Building, potential projects include new windows, doors, locks, roof, technology upgrades and bathrooms. The Transportation Building projects could include new windows, doors, locks, garage door openers, additional space for fleet vehicles, roof replacement and electrical upgrades.

Roettger explained the state match is projected at 49 percent of the cost, and he said, personally, he would like to see the interest rates on the bond below four percent. This would project an estimated $1.50-$2 per thousand rate, for a 15-20 year bond.

The Facilities Committee is continuing to compile individual lists of priority items to discuss at the September meeting. The group will narrow down the project list, with taking costs into consideration, before the district will make a decision on the bond amount. The district has to submit the resolution to the county by Dec. 11.

Roettger said, if passed, the large construction projects would likely occur in 2017, with the potential for small projects to be completed in 2016. Tax collections on the bond would not occur until 2017.

The Facilities Committee is prioritizing the list of projects based on the need of the students, followed by the potential benefits to the school district and students, and then the luxury items. The committee is focused on ensuring the upgrades would be beneficial to the school district on a long-term basis, and help improve the learning environment and safety of the students.

For more information on the potential projects, contact Roettger at [email protected]. Updates regarding the bond project will continue to be published in The Journal throughout the upcoming months.