Facility master plan committee presents multi‑year ledger, $38M five‑year flex and longer‑term options to CCA board

A volunteer facilities master plan committee presented a multi‑year ledger to the Clear Creek Amana Community School District Board on Thursday, outlining short‑term safety work, medium‑term infrastructure upgrades and a five‑year “flex” set of projects the committee estimates at roughly $38,000,000.

The committee’s spokesperson, Ashley Longo, said the ad hoc, 25‑member group — made up of parents, staff, community members and district representatives — met monthly from September through May to study enrollment, program pressures and realistic financial plans. “Our focus was consistent: supporting teaching and learning by making sure our facilities are safe, functional and positioned for the future,” Longo said.

The plan groups work into near‑term items the committee labeled essential — including improved emergency communications and repeated radio signal repeaters, targeted HVAC and pool boiler repairs, and technology upgrades — and larger projects slotted into a five‑year flex period, which the committee estimated at approximately $38 million. Longo and other presenters emphasized the ledger pairs projects with likely funding sources such as SAVE, PPEL, bond capacity and targeted fundraising, and that projects can be moved between years as needs or funding change.

One medium‑term item called out by the committee was a $75,000 estimate to replace a boiler that supports space heating (not the pool water heater) at the Amana Elementary pool building. The committee members said a separate, smaller system will continue to heat pool water while the new unit would address building ambient space heat and locker‑room areas. Presenters said contractors with steam‑boiler experience evaluated options and provided the estimate.

The committee also recommended larger facility options to consider in the five‑ to ten‑year window: a new high‑school kitchen expansion for more cooler/freezer/prep space, a pool partnership with the City of Tiffin to support programming, a potential central administration building in Tiffin, and long‑range placeholders such as stadium turf/track replacements and an indoor program enhancement facility. Committee members stressed that 10‑year items were intentionally left without hard cost estimates because of uncertainty in long‑term construction pricing.

Consultant and presenter remarks noted the plan was shaped after pausing for two months while the legislature considered a property‑tax bill. One committee presenter said the final enacted bill will reduce ongoing property‑tax revenue by about 25% compared with prior levels but cited that outcome as substantially better than an earlier proposal that would have cut funding more sharply. The committee said the ledger assumes that new funding realities and recommended projects can be balanced through phased use of SAVE, PPEL and bonding where appropriate.

Board members asked about sequencing, inflation assumptions and where projects would be sited. A presenter said short‑term items would be slotted for summer work in 2026–2028, the five‑year flex contains projects that can be scheduled as needed, and the district will update estimates annually. The presenters recommended revisiting the ledger yearly and reconvening the committee in roughly five years to refresh assumptions.

Board members praised the committee’s process and said the ledger gives the district talking points when community members ask why specific projects were prioritized. The board did not take a binding vote on the ledger; presenters formally delivered the recommendations and said they stand ready to support implementation steps, including designs, public bidding and potential community fundraising.

The board’s next meeting is scheduled for July 15, when routine items including goals, strategic‑plan updates and an athletic handbook are on the agenda.