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School City of Whiting holds preliminary hearing on $24.36 million bond plan for aging school systems
Summary
At a public hearing, district leaders presented a proposed $24,360,000 bond authorization to replace century-old HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems, saying deferred maintenance has led to costly emergency repairs and could force e-learning closures if systems fail.
At a public hearing of the School City of Whiting board, district leaders outlined a proposed $24,360,000 bond authorization intended to fund major upgrades to aging school buildings, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, ADA and technology improvements.
Superintendent Vera summarized a recent comprehensive needs assessment by Fanning and Howie and said many building systems are “over 100 years old,” noting that the district has spent “over $100,000 a year” on HVAC maintenance and that several recent emergency repairs exceeded $35,000. “These systems are extremely old and they’re breaking down,” Vera said, warning that failures could force remote learning days if schools become unsafe or unheated.
Finance representatives explained how the district would stage borrowing and the estimated homeowner impact. Luke Roman, introducing the financing plan, said the board would seek authorization for $24,360,000 and likely issue about $15.5 million in 2026 with the remainder in 2028. He summarized estimated costs and parameters: “Estimated cost of issuance and professional fees of $590,000,” he said, and projected a maximum annual payment of $3.5 million and a 3–7% interest-range scenario.
Roman said a simple calculation yields a tax-impact equivalent to roughly $0.71 per $100 of assessed value but added that “the majority of Whiting taxpayers are at their tax caps,” meaning most households may not see an increased bill. After accounting for debt that falls off the books, presenters estimated a net levy increase of about $0.24.
The board’s counsel explained this was the first of two statutorily required public hearings under Indiana Code section 6‑1.1‑20‑3.5 and emphasized that no board action was required at this session. The board opened the floor for public comment; Josh Craig offered support for the superintendent’s leadership and the planned process.
The board closed the preliminary hearing after hearing no additional public comment and announced a second public hearing scheduled for April 27, 2026, at 6 p.m. The bond authorization parameters presented at this hearing were described as maximums that could be lowered in subsequent resolutions; no resolution or vote on the bond authorization occurred at the meeting.
