On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Hinton Community School District voters will be asked to consider an $8.6 million bond referendum to address remaining critical infrastructure, accessibility, site and learning space needs at the Middle/High School.
On Tuesday, November 3, voters in the Hinton Community School District approved the $8.6 million bond referendum to address the District’s remaining critical facility needs.
The unofficial election results are 958 YES (61.02%) and 612 NO (38.98%).
The approved bond will fund essential improvements at the middle/high school, including heating and ventilation, windows and doors, electrical systems, flooring and ceilings, accessibility, parking and sidewalks, and targeted improvements to the existing shop area.
The referendum builds on significant work already completed through SAVE and PPEL funding without increasing property taxes. Together, these funding sources allow the District to continue finishing what we started and taking care of what our community has built.
Superintendent Ken Slater expressed his appreciation to the community:
“We are grateful to Hinton voters for their support and continued commitment to our schools. This approval allows us to address the remaining critical facility needs and continue providing safe, functional learning environments for our students and staff.”
The District will share additional information about next steps, project timelines, and ongoing communication as planning progresses.
The Hinton Community School District sincerely thanks everyone who participated in the election and supported the future of Hinton schools.
Hinton CSD has made significant progress using SAVE and PPEL funds to complete major facility improvements without increasing property taxes. By using these resources first, the District has reduced what ultimately needs to be financed through a voter-approved bond.
Aging HVAC, windows, electrical systems, masonry and other critical building needs remain, and the funding available to address them is changing. Necessary maintenance can be delayed, but it can't be avoided forever.
See the facility needs firsthand, and learn more about the proposed improvements.
Tuesday, October 20
7:00 PM - 8:00PM
Following teacher conferences
High School Gym
Friday, October 30
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Cookies & beverages will be provided
High School Gym
Beyond the remaining infrastructure work, the proposal addresses other existing facility needs related to accessibility, site conditions, and the shop area.
ACCESSIBILITY
Improve existing restrooms to meet ADA accessibility standards.
SITE REPAIRS
Repair aging parking lots and sidewalks.
CTE / SHOP REPAIRS
Repair and improve the shop area for safe, functional hands-on learning.
Outdated Heating and Ventilation
Failing 1962 Windows
Corroded Electrical Panel
Corroded Heating Pumps
Failing 1922 Windows
Outdated Heating and Ventilation
Deteriorating Masonry
Aging Asbestos-Containing Flooring
Original 1956 Ceiling Tiles
Waiting doesn't make the work go away.
After three previous referendum attempts, the facility needs haven't gone away. Aging HVAC systems, failing windows and other critical repairs still require attention. Necessary maintenance can be delayed, but it can't be avoided forever, and waiting may make the work more costly.
Maximize what we have before asking for more.
Hinton CSD has used SAVE and PPEL funds to complete major improvements without increasing property taxes, reducing the need to borrow. As SAVE funding is reduced beginning in 2027, fewer resources for facility needs are available without borrowing.
Repair what we have. Protect what we've built.
The proposal focuses on aging infrastructure, necessary repairs and existing facility needs rather than major additions or expansion. Projects address heating and ventilation, windows and doors, electrical systems, masonry, flooring, accessibility, parking and sidewalks, and the existing shop area.
Updated hallway flooring and lighting
Classroom flooring and lighting improvements
Electrical system upgrades
Updated lighting controls
Our school has good bones, it simply needs routine building and systems updates required at its age. This work is far more cost effective than building new. In addition, Iowa law limits how much debt a school district can take on. Hinton CSD can legally only borrow about $20 million, while a new school would cost at least $60 million. That leaves a large gap, putting a new school beyond the District’s current legal borrowing limit.
Improve heating and ventilation systems throughout the building
Remove old asbestos-containing floor materials and install new flooring
Replace failing windows (originals from 1922–1989)
Upgrade outdated electrical panels and distribution systems
Repair damaged brickwork to protect the building envelope
Replace aging exterior doors
Install energy-efficient lighting fixtures throughout the building
Renovate restrooms to meet ADA accessibility standards
Install new ceilings in the music wing, multipurpose room, and office/library areas
Renovate CTE/shop classrooms to support hands-on learning
Shall the Board of Directors of the Hinton Community School District in the County of Plymouth, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $8,600,000 to provide funds to remodel, repair, improve, furnish and equip its middle school / high school facility, including site improvements?
The tax impact will vary based on property type and assessed value. Use the resources below to estimate your potential impact.
The District has used available SAVE and PPEL resources first to reduce what needs to be borrowed. With critical projects still remaining and less SAVE funding available for future facility needs, voters are being asked to consider a bond to fund the remaining work.
Enter your property information to estimate the potential tax impact of the proposed bond.
Review the assumptions, levy information and additional details behind the estimates provided by the District financial advisor.
Base on calculations from our financial advisor Piper Sandler, the proposed 13-year repayment schedule would pay off the bond seven years sooner than a traditional 20-year schedule — saving taxpayers approximately $2.2 MILLION in interest.
Actual 1/1/2025 Average Assessed Value of 1 Acre of Ag Land:
Plymouth County = $2,498
We’re excited to offer in-person early voting right here in the community!
When: Wednesday, October 21
Where: Hinton Community Center
205 W Main St, Hinton, IA 51024
Time: 12:30 PM- 6:30 PM
This is a convenient opportunity to vote early in the November 3 General Election. Voters will receive a full absentee ballot and may cast their vote on all races and questions appearing on their ballot.
When: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Time: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Enter your address by clicking the button below to find your Election Day polling location.
In-person absentee voting begins Wednesday, October 14 and continues through Monday, November 2 at the County Auditor's Office.
Request an absentee ballot from the Plymouth County Auditor. Requests for a mailed ballot must be received by 5:00 PM on Monday, October 19, 2026. Absentee ballots begin mailing October 14.
For more information, contact the Plymouth County Auditor & Commissioner of Elections Stacey Feldman
215 4th Ave. S.E.
Le Mars, Iowa 51031
Phone: 712-546-6100
Email: sfeldman@plymouthcountyiowa.gov
Our school has good bones, it simply needs routine building and systems updates required at its age. This work is far more cost effective than building new. In addition, Iowa law limits how much debt a school district can take on. Hinton CSD can legally only borrow about $20 million, while a new school would cost at least $60 million. That leaves a large gap, putting a new school beyond the District’s current legal borrowing limit.
After three previous referendum attempts, the facility needs have not gone away. Aging heating and ventilation systems, windows, electrical systems, masonry and other building components still require attention.
The District has continued using available SAVE and PPEL funds to address needs where possible. The 2026 proposal focuses on completing critical work that remains at the existing Middle/High School.
The 2026 proposal has been reduced to $8.6 million and focuses on the existing Middle/High School facility. The elementary classroom addition has been removed, and the District has continued using SAVE and PPEL funds to address needs and reduce what must be financed through a bond.
The proposal now focuses on the critical work that remains: infrastructure and repairs, ADA restroom improvements, parking lots and sidewalks, and targeted repairs and improvements to the existing shop/CTE area.
Yes. The District has completed significant improvements using SAVE and PPEL funds without increasing property taxes.
That work addressed portions of several major needs, including heating and ventilation, windows and flooring. However, available funding was not enough to complete this work throughout the entire facility.
The 2026 referendum would address the remaining areas and additional critical facility needs.
Hinton CSD has used available SAVE and PPEL funds first, completing significant facility improvements without increasing property taxes and reducing the amount the District needs to borrow.
This year, the District will receive approximately $500,000 in combined Regular and Voted PPEL funding. While these funds support many important needs, they are not enough to cover all of the remaining critical facility projects.
In addition, recent changes to Iowa law will reduce the amount of SAVE funding available to school districts in future years, as more SAVE revenue is redirected to statewide property-tax relief. This means Hinton will have fewer SAVE dollars available for future facility needs.
Together, these limitations make the GO bond referendum necessary to address the remaining projects.
Learn more, watch the Iowa School Funding Video.
Iowa school districts typically use three main funding sources for facility needs:
SAVE — Secure an Advanced Vision for Education: State sales-tax funding used for eligible, smaller-scale school infrastructure and facility improvements.
PPEL — Physical Plant and Equipment Levy: Local funds used for ongoing repairs, maintenance, equipment and technology.
GO Bonds — General Obligation Bonds: Voter-approved borrowing used for larger, more costly projects that cannot be completed with annual funding alone.
Hinton CSD has used SAVE and PPEL funds to complete significant improvements without increasing property taxes. The proposed GO bond would provide funding for the remaining critical facility needs.
Each funding source has different rules and uses, so the District uses them together to address needs over time and make the most of available resources.
Learn more, watch the Iowa School Funding Video.
If approved, the bond would support essential improvements at one building only, the 4–12 building. No bond funds would be allocated to the elementary school. The elementary addition was removed from the plan to keep the overall cost affordable for residents.
The proposal focuses primarily on maintaining and repairing the existing Middle/High School, including:
Heating and ventilation improvements
Window and exterior door replacement
Electrical and lighting upgrades
Exterior masonry repairs
Asbestos removal and flooring replacement
Ceiling replacement
ADA restroom improvements
Parking lot and sidewalk repairs
Targeted repairs and improvements to the existing shop/CTE area
No elementary classroom addition is included in the 2026 proposal.
Iowa recently changed how SAVE revenue is distributed. While the program has been extended through 2071, an increasing portion of SAVE revenue will be redirected to statewide property tax relief rather than school infrastructure.
Beginning in 2027, the amount available to school districts will decrease annually, eventually resulting in 25% of SAVE revenue being redirected away from districts statewide.
Hinton CSD has used SAVE and PPEL funds to complete significant facility improvements and reduce the amount that needs to be financed through a voter-approved bond. With less SAVE funding available going forward, those dollars will have to stretch further across the District's remaining and future facility needs.
The facility needs will remain. Aging heating and ventilation systems, windows, electrical systems, masonry and other critical building components will continue to require attention.
Without bond funding, the District would continue addressing needs with available resources as possible, but larger projects would likely need to be delayed or completed over a longer period of time. Delaying necessary repairs does not eliminate the work, and as systems continue to age, repairs may become more extensive and costly.
With less SAVE funding expected to be available for future facility needs, the District will also have fewer existing resources to complete this work over time.
The needs won't go away. The question is how, and when, they will be addressed.