Embedded Files
Bond Impact Cost on Ballot
Now that people are receiving their ballots in the mail, there may be some confusion on the amount your taxes will increase between the ballot and the bond calculator on the school website. The calculator on the school website illustrates how much your taxes would INCREASE if this bond passes. The amount shown on your ballot is the TOTAL tax amount.
For example, if your house had an assessed value of $300,000 you were already paying $230.67 per year.
The school bond calculator shows that you would see an increase of $139.38 per year.
The ballot shows the full amount of $370.05 per year which adds the old amount plus the increase from this bond.
The high school bond has been paid off as of July 1st.
I hope this clears up any confusion.
Please call me at school if you have questions or concerns,
How do I get a ballot to vote?
All registered voters in the Eureka Elementary School District will receive a ballot in the mail.
Why is the bond needed?
The current elementary and junior high school buildings have outgrown their lifespan. Increasing maintenance costs each year puts less dollars into the educational environment. In order to address needs throughout the District voters will be asked to approve a 20 year Bond proposal that raises $16.9 million dollars to improve the learning environment and opportunities for our children.
Can you renovate the existing Middle School for less money? Why spend more?
The most significant concern with the existing Middle School continues to be student and staff safety and security. Schools nationwide have aggressively "hardened" their facilities to achieve these means. As the Middle School building continues to age and is isolated location from the main campus building, there is no way to effectively provide real-time supervision and control of who comes and goes from the district buildings.
Why can't we fix up what we have?
The cost of maintaining the building continues to grow each year. Bring the existing Middle School up to current buildings standards and code is large and complicated process; it would cost approximately $9.9 million, which still needs to change the functionality of the building. The costs are related to the structural requirement and modern safety standards.
Will a new practice football field be constructed.
No, a new practice football field will not be constructed with these funds.
Why, with student population level, can't we keep doing what we have been doing?
The facilities committee, throughout several meetings six years ago and renewed the past year, had found that the need for new modern square footage would be the best option for Eureka, Montana. A "do nothing" option was not the right thing to do. Also, the plan is to add new classroom spaces and combine campus functions under one roof. Renovation, structural, and mechanical upgrades will also occur in the existing elementary.
Why do you continue to spend money on the existing "OLD" building when your are just going to get rid of them?
We have yet to determine if the election will pass, so the responsibility is to ensure the buildings are taken care of in the same way we care for the rest of the District. We also heard the conversation if we would not have been taking care of these buildings, we could be questioned on if we have made them deliberately look haggard.
You have been saying that the Elementary Building is unsafe and needs to be removed, yet you keep putting kids and adults in them yearly Why would you do that?
After the last failed bond request, the district, through its facilities committee, decided to use some district funds to complete a Phase 2 structural review. This work included selective demolition to determine the structural integrity. The exploration revealed that the structure with minor upgrades would bring the building to a level o construction that meets modern construction. Salvaging this building will allow for building renovations to meet the current educational process and the design standards of the proposed new junior high.
Why, six years later, is it costing so much more?
When we started the planning efforts six years ago, in 2017, the commercial building price per/square foot was $200. With the current construction industries and several schools in Missoula and surrounding areas being finished, construction costs are running at $300 per/square foot.. We are currently in a "builder's market" as there is significant building in Montana, allowing construction companies more latitude in charging for their services. We have scaled the project back from over 48,000 square feet in 2017 to just over 36,000 square feet to compensate for the increase in building prices without reducing function.
If we build this addition, will you be able to handle growth in the student population?
The new addition and interior renovations will allow flexibility at all grade levels, form Kindergarten to 8th Grade. We will also include flexible classrooms for those larger class sizes and allow room for growth.
$16.975 million on addition and renovations seems high; what would it cost to replace the school?
During the planning efforts, this option was discussed and eventually removed as an option. Because of the construction cost and replacing both the Elementary and Junior High, the school's bonding capacity would not allow it. With the current construction cost of $300 per square foot, the replacement cost would quickly exceed $26 million and far over the district's bonding capacity.
When is the election?
The vote will be done by mail in ballots. The ballots will be mailed out at the beginning of November and must be returned by November 7. Voting information including polling locations, voter registration applications, applications for absentee ballot, and voting criteria can be found at the Lincoln County County Elections webpage, http://lincolncountymt.us/elections/elections-home
Why should I pay for schools when I don't have kids in School?
If you ever had kids in school or were a public school student yourself, people before you paid for the schools you and/or your child(ren) attended. Similarly, the current residents of the Eureka School District help pay for the schools we have now and those we build and improve in the future throughout the time they live here. As new residents move into the District's attendance area, they assume these taxes as well.
Do Trego and Fortine residents pay for this bond?
This is an Eureka Elementary School Bond. So only residents that reside in the Eureka Elementary School District will be paying for this bond. This does not include property owners in the Trego and Fortine Elementary School Districts. A map of the district can be seen on the cost page.
What year were the Eureka Elementary School and Eureka Junior High Buildings built?
The Eureka Elementary was constructed in 1957, with a various additions in the mid 1960's during construction of the Libby Dam. The Eureka Junior High Building was constructed in 1939, with various additions in the mid 1960's during construction of the Libby Dam.
Are the electrical, plumbing, and heating systems original to the construction of the buildings?
Yes, these systems are obsolete now, and require many dollars to repair or replace. Many parts are not available now, and must be custom made at high costs. The time to get these things made can be weeks, forcing teachers to change classrooms, or have no heat for days.
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