Warrensburg R‑VI seeks $16.5 million bond to build Early Childhood Center, expand preschool

Warrensburg R‑VI Superintendent Dr. Steve Ritter told the Warrensburg City Council on Feb. 10 that the district plans to ask voters to approve a $16,500,000 bond issue on April 8 to fund an early childhood center, targeted facility repairs and HVAC and roof work across the district.

Why it matters: the district says two of its four elementary schools are at more than 100% utilization, preschool classrooms are constrained, and expanded preschool capacity would allow the district to capture additional state preschool reimbursement the district says it is currently missing.

Dr. Steve Ritter said the bond would fund renovation of a former retail building on the city’s south side (identified by the speaker as the building with the former Cash Saver logo) into an Early Childhood Center. "We're going to add 13 classrooms," Ritter said, describing a plan to move nine existing preschool classrooms out of Maple Grove and Ridgeview into the new center, add an integrated classroom for students with special needs and create room for 60 additional full‑day preschool students. Ritter said the additional 60 students equates to roughly 20–25% of the district's current graduating classes.

Ritter said the district has secured a sublease that gives it current access to the building and that the district negotiated a purchase price with the owner at the end of the sublease period; he stated the district plans to set aside funds over the next eight years to cover that purchase so it would not return to voters for additional financing to buy the property. The bond funds, he said, would be used for renovations and other district projects.

The superintendent also listed campus maintenance needs the bond would address, including roof patching and HVAC replacements (he said the career center’s HVAC dates to the mid‑1990s). Ritter told council members the proposal is structured so the district’s tax rate would remain at $0.82 per $100 of assessed valuation if the bond is approved.

Ritter framed the proposal as both a response to current crowding and as planning for future growth tied to new housing and projected increases in personnel associated with Whiteman Air Force Base. He also noted the district’s preschool program was recognized by the Missouri School Boards Association in 2024 as the Early Childhood Education Program of the Year for mid‑sized districts.

Councilmember questions focused on timing and capacity. When asked about how quickly the space could open, Ritter said, "If everything goes perfectly, there may be a chance that we'd be able to get some students into that building by January 1 of '26. Otherwise, it would be the fall of '26." He added that moving young children mid‑year might not be desirable and that full implementation by fall 2026 was more likely.

No formal council action on the bond was taken at the Feb. 10 meeting; Ritter concluded by inviting further questions from council members and community stakeholders.

Looking ahead: the district will need to place the bond question on the April 8 ballot and proceed with the renovation, purchase and budgeting processes only if voters approve the measure. The district also said it expects to use part of the project area for bus storage and to reduce off‑site fueling costs.

Sources: Presentation to Warrensburg City Council by Dr. Steve Ritter, Superintendent, Warrensburg R‑VI (Feb. 10, 2025).