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West Central Area board reviews draft survey on $31.5 million bond to consolidate elementary schools
Summary
The West Central Area School Board reviewed an eight-page community survey and draft facility plans that would consolidate elementary grades onto the secondary campus and ask voters to approve a bond. Board members requested clearer cost estimates for optional add-ons (an extra gym, track, wellness center) and tabled final approval pending task-force review and refined tax-impact numbers.
The West Central Area School Board reviewed a consultant’s draft community survey and preliminary facility plans that would consolidate the district’s elementary grades to a single site and ask voters whether to pursue a bond to pay for the work.
Darren (Presenter) told the board the task force voted with about 81% support for a consolidation plan and that consultants estimate a construction-only project at roughly $29.9 million and a bond sizing of about $31.5 million after issuance costs and first interest. “Would you support the West Central area schools pursuing a revised bond referendum at this time?” Darren asked the board as he described the survey’s core permission question and the planned follow-up queries for undecided or opposed respondents.
The consultant said the survey is intentionally short to maximize participation, explained three response channels (mailed code, QR, web link) and said the vendor can break results down by precinct, township, age group and by where yes/no support clusters. He also described a tax-impact chart the vendor will produce showing annual cost per property-value band.
Board members pressed for clarity on scope and costs. The presenter described two cost scenarios the task force considered: a base plan that consolidates to one site (bond-sized at about $31.5 million) and a more extensive modernization package to update all three school sites (roughly $44–$46 million in the consultants’ materials). He said consolidating to one site could reduce operating costs by about $750,000 per year.
Several trustees asked whether an additional gym, a running track or a wellness center should be part of the base ballot question or offered as optional follow-up questions. The presenter recommended testing a single base plan with a subsequent section that asks respondents to rate optional scope items (high/medium/low priority) and to show tax impacts for those add-ons.
The board also raised process questions: whether task-force membership should be listed by name on the survey or identified as representatives of the district’s five communities, how furnishings and equipment costs would be estimated, and whether the survey timeline should be delayed by two weeks to allow additional task-force and user-group review. The consultant agreed a short delay would be workable and offered to return with updated numbers.
Before finalizing the mailing, the board voted to table the survey and asked staff and consultants to provide final tax-impact grids, confirm what is included in the $31.5 million estimate, and reconvene the task force and user groups for a brief review. The motion to table carried by voice vote.
The board directed staff to return with revised materials and recommended meeting dates; the consultant said he could provide finalized data to the board by the May 20 meeting if the board approved a modest printing delay.
