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South Saint Paul board hears $50 million bond plan; presenters cite $139 annual tax impact on median home
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Summary
Board members heard a detailed presentation on a two‑question special election set for May 12. Question 1 is a $50 million bond to address aging mechanical/electrical systems, ADA upgrades and athletic facilities, with presenters showing an estimated $139 annual tax impact on a $300,000 home.
The South Saint Paul Public Schools board on April 27 reviewed plans for a two‑question special election on May 12 that would ask voters to approve a $50 million bond to address district facility needs.
Buildings and grounds director Mark Fenton and consultant Ben Barry of Wold Architects presented the findings of a facilities study and a community input process that prioritized maintenance and targeted improvements. "The facility study…landed about a $150,000,000 projected in need over about 10 years," Barry said, describing how the district prioritized immediate, mid‑ and longer‑term needs.
The bond request is broken into two questions; presentation focus was Question 1, a $50 million measure with about $30 million of work proposed at the secondary campus. Plans outlined for that site include replacement of outdated electrical and mechanical equipment, power‑infrastructure reconfiguration (moving transformers out of the building where feasible), upgrades to ventilation and finishes, locker‑room renovations for ADA accessibility and new learning spaces such as an industrial‑technology lab and a consumer‑science space. Athletic‑facility work cited includes a full tennis‑court rebuild (consultants said courts are near the end of their useful life) and improvements to bleachers, ADA access and the press box.
Barry and district staff detailed project types for elementary and middle sites as well — restroom renovations, asbestos abatement encountered during work, pool‑area system replacements at Central Square, and other maintenance items identified in the study. The presentation noted that the district currently receives about $1.1 million annually in LTFM funding and that the bond would address deferred and larger capital needs that the ongoing funding does not cover.
On taxes, the board was shown a chart using a $300,000 median home value that modeled an approximate $139 annual tax increase (about $12 per month) for the measure on Question 1. The presenters emphasized that scope and phasing decisions would be used to manage costs and that the bid market could affect final pricing. "We're confident in the numbers, to the scope," Barry said, adding that contingencies for inflation and market conditions were built into budget assumptions.
Board members asked about contract approvals and oversight if the bond passes. Barry and Eric from Market & Johnson said the school board will approve construction contracts and described common district practices such as establishing a bond oversight committee or assigning oversight to a facilities or finance committee. Market & Johnson described a delivery model that keeps the district in control of change orders while providing construction management support.
The presentation closed with reminders about election logistics (all voting at Dakota County Historical Society for this special election) and direction to voters to the district bond webpage for details. The board scheduled a special meeting on May 20 to canvas the election results.
If the bond measure passes, next steps described by staff include detailed design and stakeholder input during project phasing to minimize disruption to occupied school sites and to finalize contract documents and construction schedules.
