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Center Cass board hears buildings near capacity; consultants say additions likely unaffordable without referendum or outside funding
Summary
Consultants told the board that district buildings are nearing capacity for instruction and that current fund balances cannot cover the cost of building additions; PMA said an addition would likely require a successful referendum, sizable donations, or TIF resources and will provide financial projections in July.
Board President Brian Liedtke convened the Center Cass School District 66 Board on June 18, where outside consultants presented linked findings on building capacity and financing options.
Dan Kritta, an architect with WOLD, told the board that district buildings were "nearing capacity in terms of bodies" and were at capacity for instructional purposes, and that Prairieview would be the most economical location for additional space, followed by Lakeview. Bob Lewis of PMA followed with a financing overview and said the district receives less than 10% of its funds from state and federal sources and is funded primarily locally.
Lewis told the board that current fund balances are insufficient to pay for a building addition or the debt certifications necessary to finance one. He said financing an addition would likely require a successful referendum, a sizable donation or developer contributions, or use of tax-increment financing (TIF) resources tied to local development. PMA will share detailed projections using comparables at the July meeting, Lewis said.
The presentations placed the potential for growth-driven construction squarely on the ballot or dependent on third-party funding: without a referendum or large external contributions, the district is unlikely to self-finance an addition in the near term.
The board did not take action on a construction measure at the June meeting but requested follow-up information and scheduled further financial projections from PMA in July.
