On The Ballot: Galena School No Tax Increase Bond
May 20, 2020
Isaac Estes-Jones
Voters in Galena R-II School District will decide more than just board of education members when they head to the polls on June 2 for the rescheduled municipal election. Galena School is proposing a $1.25 million no tax increase bond measure to shore up security at the school and to make many needed improvements to facilities. The Keep Improving District Schools (K.I.D.S.) bond issue would allow the school to make those changes.
According to Dr. Danny Humble, superintendent of the district, the bond measure is not expected to change the taxes for voters in the Galena school district. "I hope people get out to vote. We want to do something where both buildings and kids throughout the school will see the improvements and benefits," he said.
"Each year the district ... pays off old debt from previous bond issues. As this debt is paid off, the existing tax levy can continue and the funds can be used to pay for bonds that are sold for new improvement projects," as flyer for the project says. Other schools have undertaken similar no-tax increase measures in recent years, including Hurley and Crane.
Where is the money going?
"Security is a big thing," Dr. Humble said. "At the elementary, when you walk in, it’s wide open. We’re going to make that more secure, we’ll reroute the entryway so there isn’t such direct access to the hallways," he said. Additionally, the funding will add new security cameras giving the district "good coverage of both buildings inside and out," he said. "We don't have enough cameras right now and the old ones are outdated."
Another major component of the funding will go toward facility improvements. "At the elementary, there are several 15 year old HVAC units on the roof. They are the older type of freon that is very expensive to fix and they are starting to go out. To replace them, you have to rent a crane. We will replace all of them at once and that way also save by only renting the crane once," Dr. Humble said.
Additionally, the district wants to replace a canopy at the high school and add one to the elementary school. "At the elementary, between the doors and where kids get on and off the buses is wide open," Humble said. "We want to cover that so they can get to and from buses without getting soaked if it's raining."
Other facilities improvements include a new bell/intercom system that will cover both campuses. The school also hopes to construct a barn on the north side of the baseball fields at the high school. "We’d like to build a metal building where we can store our equipment and have a couple of batting cages indoors," Dr. Humble said.
"We also want to make it easier for ADA individuals to get between the parking lot and the ball fields," Dr. Humble said. "We want to create an accessible pathway with switchbacks down the hill from the parking lot to the stands," he said.
The bond measure would allow the school to improve energy efficiency. The coolant in the new HVAC units at the elementary is more energy efficient, for one.
The school would also like to retrofit sinks and toilets at the high school with push button operation to save water.
The school would like to replace the current ball field lighting and other exterior lighting at the school with modern LED fixtures that provide consistent lighting across the school district. "The lights at the ball fields are abysmal," Humble said, "And it is past time to replace them."
The school would, funding allowing, like to pay off some of the technology lease for student chromebooks purchased in recent years. "We'd also like to get a couple of buses for the transportation department," he said.
Minor impact from delay
"Luckily, there's no real impact with [the vote being] delayed," said Dr. Humble. The election was supposed to be held on April 7, but was postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
"Obviously, we'd like to get as much done while students are out of school, but we all have to be flexible right now," Humble said.
Most of the improvements to the school are also not dependent on any one project being completed first, so the school should be able to work on many facets of the project at once. "The only really disruptive thing, as far as the students, is the entry way at the elementary," Humble said. Additionally, the only areas overlapping are the elementary entryway and the new canopy at the elementary, but Humble is confident the projects can be completed.
Voters in Galena School District will also select among Rick Farley, Jimmie Faucett, Jr., Mecelee Lebow and David Knight to serve on Galena school board. Three of the four candidates will serve a three year term.
The full sample ballots for the June 2 municipal election are presented in this week's issue on pages 6 and 7.
Voters in Galena R-II School District will decide more than just board of education members when they head to the polls on June 2 for the rescheduled municipal election. Galena School is proposing a $1.25 million no tax increase bond measure to shore up security at the school and to make many needed improvements to facilities. The Keep Improving District Schools (K.I.D.S.) bond issue would allow the school to make those changes.
According to Dr. Danny Humble, superintendent of the district, the bond measure is not expected to change the taxes for voters in the Galena school district. "I hope people get out to vote. We want to do something where both buildings and kids throughout the school will see the improvements and benefits," he said.
"Each year the district ... pays off old debt from previous bond issues. As this debt is paid off, the existing tax levy can continue and the funds can be used to pay for bonds that are sold for new improvement projects," as flyer for the project says. Other schools have undertaken similar no-tax increase measures in recent years, including Hurley and Crane.
Where is the money going?
"Security is a big thing," Dr. Humble said. "At the elementary, when you walk in, it’s wide open. We’re going to make that more secure, we’ll reroute the entryway so there isn’t such direct access to the hallways," he said. Additionally, the funding will add new security cameras giving the district "good coverage of both buildings inside and out," he said. "We don't have enough cameras right now and the old ones are outdated."
Another major component of the funding will go toward facility improvements. "At the elementary, there are several 15 year old HVAC units on the roof. They are the older type of freon that is very expensive to fix and they are starting to go out. To replace them, you have to rent a crane. We will replace all of them at once and that way also save by only renting the crane once," Dr. Humble said.
Additionally, the district wants to replace a canopy at the high school and add one to the elementary school. "At the elementary, between the doors and where kids get on and off the buses is wide open," Humble said. "We want to cover that so they can get to and from buses without getting soaked if it's raining."
Other facilities improvements include a new bell/intercom system that will cover both campuses. The school also hopes to construct a barn on the north side of the baseball fields at the high school. "We’d like to build a metal building where we can store our equipment and have a couple of batting cages indoors," Dr. Humble said.
"We also want to make it easier for ADA individuals to get between the parking lot and the ball fields," Dr. Humble said. "We want to create an accessible pathway with switchbacks down the hill from the parking lot to the stands," he said.
The bond measure would allow the school to improve energy efficiency. The coolant in the new HVAC units at the elementary is more energy efficient, for one.
The school would also like to retrofit sinks and toilets at the high school with push button operation to save water.
The school would like to replace the current ball field lighting and other exterior lighting at the school with modern LED fixtures that provide consistent lighting across the school district. "The lights at the ball fields are abysmal," Humble said, "And it is past time to replace them."
The school would, funding allowing, like to pay off some of the technology lease for student chromebooks purchased in recent years. "We'd also like to get a couple of buses for the transportation department," he said.
Minor impact from delay
"Luckily, there's no real impact with [the vote being] delayed," said Dr. Humble. The election was supposed to be held on April 7, but was postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
"Obviously, we'd like to get as much done while students are out of school, but we all have to be flexible right now," Humble said.
Most of the improvements to the school are also not dependent on any one project being completed first, so the school should be able to work on many facets of the project at once. "The only really disruptive thing, as far as the students, is the entry way at the elementary," Humble said. Additionally, the only areas overlapping are the elementary entryway and the new canopy at the elementary, but Humble is confident the projects can be completed.
Voters in Galena School District will also select among Rick Farley, Jimmie Faucett, Jr., Mecelee Lebow and David Knight to serve on Galena school board. Three of the four candidates will serve a three year term.
The full sample ballots for the June 2 municipal election are presented in this week's issue on pages 6 and 7.