Area residents will vote on school bond
LAUREL — Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School Board members approved a resolution to call for a special election on July 13.
School Board members were told at their May 10 meeting that the election will be by mail in ballot with ballots expected in mailboxes on or around June 23.
The resolution calls for an election to allow the school district to issue general obligation bonds with a principal amount not to exceed $18,500,000, for the purpose of paying costs of additions, renovations and improvements to existing facilities of the District together with related site improvements; and providing for the necessary furniture, equipment and apparatus for such facilities.
The decision comes after a failed vote last November on a proposed $23 million expansion and renovation project at the school.
The Board of Education conducted a community survey following the previous failed bond issue election in November 2020 to identify the greatest concerns among district stakeholders.
The survey revealed two primary concerns of district patrons - (1) required longterm debt service, and (2) clarity regarding a middle school addition at the Laurel campus. Board members have spent the past six months studying the proposed project, revisiting district facility and program needs, and informally talking to district patrons.
Board members have developed a bond proposal that specifically addresses facility additions and renovations for LCC High School, along with a lease purchase financing project that addresses the elementary school project renovations and additions.
This plan results in a shortened timeline for debt service, as well as long-term interest savings for the district.
The Board has modified the original facility project to clearly address planning for a future middle school campus addition, no sooner than seven years out.
The Board has identified specific criteria in the areas of student enrollment and expenditures to annually monitor as they consider the program and instructional needs of the school district.
District patrons will have opportunities to attend community information sessions, as well as to tour school facilities in June, with dates to soon be announced.
Project details, including design concepts, project budgets, proposed timelines, and other frequently asked questions, will be posted and available on the school district website during the coming weeks.
With recent Legislative action removing any potential barriers to the Lease Purchase option, Bond Counsel notified LCC that the district can proceed in planning for a lease purchase financing package as a component of an overall facility improvement project.
“I have confirmed conceptual budget figures with Hausmann Construction for the Base Plan (HS Addition and Renovation), the Lease Purchase (Elementary Addition and Renovation), as well as the Middle School Addition Plan,’’ said Supt. Jeremy Christiansen.
Project partners were available at the meeting for consultation with the board.
They included:
• Cody Wickham (DA Davidson) - In Person
• Matt Miller (Hausmann) - via Zoom
• Bob Soukup (CWP) - via Zoom LCC board members examined:
• Facility Project Base Plan_Phase 1 (Concept Design)
• Conceptual Budget_Base Plan with No Owner Contingency
• Lease Purchase Analysis, DA Davidson
• Facility Project Base and Lease Purchase Projected Levies
• Facility Project Middle School Addition Phase 2 (Concept Design)
• Conceptual Budget Middle School Addition with No Owner Contingency
•Facility Project All Phases (Concept Design)
•Conceptual Budget Phasing Breakout
The Special Election involves three counties (Cedar, Dixon, Wayne), the Secretary of State’s Office will coordinate the election process. Ballots will be mailed out from Cedar County to all registered voters of the school district, however, they must be returned to their respective counties and then counted by David Dowling in Cedar County.
There is another Special Election being called for during the same time period (City of Randolph) which will result in some cost savings to the LCC school district.
Elementary Principal Paige Parsons reported LCC Elementary participated in a variety of field trips last month. Students attended the following: Kindergartners attended the Launch Pad in Sioux City, Iowa; First Grade attended local banks; Second Grade attended the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, S.D.; Third Grade attended Life at the Farm and Ash Falls; and Fourth Graders attended Life at the Farm and a Capitol Trip to Lincoln.
Kindergarten Round Up included kindergarten teachers welcoming 18 incoming students to kindergarten round up on April 19.
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