Odessa R-VII committee favors new elementary on Upper site, proposes $45 million package

The Odessa R-VII School District committee recommended constructing a completely new elementary school near the current Upper Elementary site and outlined a two-part funding strategy that would raise roughly $45 million.

Superintendent Dr. Fagan said the committee’s consensus was for a new building at the Upper Elementary site rather than renovating the existing Macquarie building. “The committee believes that a completely new building should be constructed, out where OUE is currently,” Dr. Fagan said during the April meeting.

The committee described two primary funding components: a no-tax-increase bond issue that would generate approximately $17,000,000 and a capital levy increase of $1.30 per assessed unit directed to Fund 4 that the district estimates would raise about $28,000,000. Dr. Fagan said “these 2 items together, would generate the estimated 45,000,000 needed for the new elementary school.” The district presented a sample tax impact: a homeowner with a $250,000 home would see an estimated increase of about $617 in annual property taxes under that scenario.

Why it matters: the proposal would be the district’s largest capital ask in years and would put Odessa R-VII at the top of local county tax rates if approved, district officials said. Board members and committee participants repeatedly stressed the need for community engagement before any ballot measure.

Details and options discussed - Phased build: If the district instead relied only on the no-tax-increase bond capacity, the project could be completed in phases, but officials estimated a full replacement could take 10 or more years because of bonding limits. Dr. Fagan said phasing would create extended construction-related noise and disruption. - Site considerations: committee members discussed locating a new building just southwest of the current Upper soccer field; that site would leverage existing infrastructure and reduce some costs compared with other potential locations. - Traffic and access: the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has already performed sight-line measurements at the proposed site and provided engineering contacts; the next step will be a traffic study to determine peak-hour vehicle counts and whether turn lanes or other mitigation are necessary. Officials said that any needed turn-lane or access changes would be coordinated with MoDOT. - Ballot planning and public outreach: committee members and board members said they plan multiple informational meetings, outreach events and materials to present design options, costs and expected community benefits before a ballot question. A board member framed the effort as “an ask, not a tell,” emphasizing public input.

Funding context and next steps District staff said LJ Hart provided early estimates that helped set the levy figure; staff also noted that state and local tax legislation trends informed moving the estimate from an initial $1.20 to $1.30 in calculations. Officials said the committee will refine building design and cost estimates, commission traffic and engineering studies, and hold public informational meetings before recommending a formal ballot placement.

What was not decided No final decision had been made at the meeting about placing a measure before voters, exact building design, or the timetable for a ballot. Board members repeatedly said additional analysis and community input are required before a formal recommendation.

Next steps Dr. Fagan and the committee said they will develop more detailed design and cost information, conduct a traffic study and schedule community information sessions. The committee will also consider options for repurposing or disposing of the existing Macquarie building if a new school is built.