NEWS RELEASE

REFERENDUM 2023 RESULTS: COMMUNITY REJECTS BOND REFERENDUM QUESTION

MONTEZUMA, IA – November 7, 2023

On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, voters in the Montezuma Community School District rejected the bond referendum question on the special election ballot. Following the vote, the unofficial election results are 475 YES (45%) and 569 NO (55%).

Superintendent Rich Schulte expressed his appreciation for the community's engagement:

"We are grateful to all community members that participated in the community focus groups, the bond open house opportunities, and those that made a plan to vote. While the outcome wasn't what we had hoped for, we remain committed to exploring avenues to address the continued needs of our school facilities.”

The Montezuma Community School Board calls for a special election on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, presenting voters with one question to authorize general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $19,375,000 for facility, athletic fields, and learning environment improvements.

HOW THIS IS TAX NEUTRAL?

BALLOT QUESTION

Shall the Board of Directors of the Montezuma Community School District in the County of Poweshiek, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $19,375,000 to provide funds to build, furnish and equip a Learning Commons addition to its existing educational facility, to remodel, repair, improve, furnish and equip its existing educational facility, and to improve the site?

PROJECT SCOPE

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Remodel Central Gym locker room to meet ADA guidelines.
Remodel Elementary restrooms to meet ADA guidelines and match the other restrooms in the building.
Remodel the preschool and elementary playground areas for improved access and supervision.

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FUTURE-READY LEARNING

Upgrading of electrical distribution is needed to more effectively manage current and future technology devices used for teaching and learning.
Improve classroom functionality with technology, furnishings and finishes upgrades.
Remodel fine arts suite, include changing areas for actors, set design work, and storage of props and costumes.
Build a new multi-functional commons area to serve as lunchroom, collaborative learning space, gathering area for auditorium events, and larger location for staff and community group meetings.

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SITE IMPROVEMENTS

Replace roof sections that are aligned with the District’s most recent roof plan.
Reposition the football field near its current location.
Build a new track around the relocated football field.
Relocate the baseball field to be alongside the softball field.

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CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS
AND PLANS

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ⬇︎

PROJECT PHOTO GALLERY

Explore the photo gallery below by hovering over the photo and clicking the arrows on the left or right side.

OPEN HOUSE
INFO NIGHT

5:00-6:30 P.M.

Join us for a short presentation at 5:00pm, tour the school, and ask questions regarding the November 7, 2023 Bond Referendum question!

Wed, October 25

Montezuma Schools - Auditorium

504 N 4th Street
Montezuma, IA

A short presentation by Superintendent Rich Schulte will begin at 5:00 p.m.

DID YOU KNOW?

This bond referendum is tax neutral.

Thanks to careful financial planning by the School Board and District, we can move forward with these important projects without increasing property taxes beyond their current amount. It allows us to improve education and provide better opportunities for our students and we're committed to making sure these benefits don't come with a higher cost for taxpayers.

All students and community will benefit.

The projects proposed in this referendum don’t focus in just one area but truly impact all students and the community-at-large. The breakdown of referendum funds include:

22% for health, safety, and other infrastructure improvements, including roof replacement and ADA accessibility projects.
33% for programming and other learning environment improvements, including classroom renovations, cafeteria/learning commons, and fine arts projects.
45% for athletic/activity related improvements, including baseball, football, and track.

Smart decisions are a win for taxpayers.

The School District has made good money decisions that have helped taxpayers. Even though school taxes haven't gone up in the last five years, the District has paid off debt early, saving taxpayers $578,000 in interest payments.

Because of this, the District can now suggest projects that won't increase your taxes. By doing these projects now, we also avoid the risk of costs going up due to inflation if we wait. Your financial well-being matters to us, and we're here to make sure you keep benefiting from these smart money choices.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

OCT 2022

Comprehensive Facilities Assessment conducted by SitelogIQ to assess physical, educational, and functional needs.

DEC 2022

Facility Assessment Review is presented to the school board and District administration.

Board comprehensive review including prioritizations, project scenarios, potential costs.

JUN 2023

At the direction of the Board, multiple Community Focus Groups to review potential facility upgrades.

Community-wide survey begins.

JUL 2023

School Board reviews results of the community survey and input for the Community Focus Groups.

JUL-AUG 2023

School Board reviews results of the community survey.

The School Board passes a resolution committing to move forward with a bond referendum.

NOV 2023

November 7, 2023 Bond Referendum vote.

Community Focus Groups

To ensure future facility decisions make sense for students, are fiscally responsible, and have community support, the Montezuma district leadership and School Board requested that Community Focus Groups be offered to the public.

Residents of Montezuma School District met with SitelogIQ and Superintendent, Rich Schulte in June of 2023 for a series of Community Focus Groups. The goal of the meeting was to provide feedback regarding the current state of Montezuma School District facilities. The School Board values the community input received as part of the District Facilities Plan.

VIEW COMMUNITY FOCUS GROUP FEEDBACK

Community-wide Survey

Between July 11-26, 228 Montezuma residents completed a survey about their thoughts regarding district facility planning.

This community-wide survey was an extension of the work being done by the Community Focus Groups, our staff, and district leadership. YOUR INPUT WAS HEARD AND IS VALUED!

VIEW COMMUNITY SURVEY PRESENTATION

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BALLOT QUESTION

PROJECT SCOPE

HEALTH AND SAFETY

FUTURE-READY LEARNING

SITE IMPROVEMENTS

CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGSAND PLANS

PROJECT PHOTO GALLERY

OPEN HOUSE INFO NIGHT

5:00-6:30 P.M.

Wed, October 25

A short presentation by Superintendent Rich Schulte will begin at 5:00 p.m.

DID YOU KNOW?

This bond referendum is tax neutral.

Smart decisions are a win for taxpayers.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

OCT 2022

DEC 2022

JUN 2023

JUL 2023

JUL-AUG 2023

NOV 2023

Community Focus Groups

Community-wide Survey

HAVE QUESTIONS?

CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS
AND PLANS

OPEN HOUSE
INFO NIGHT