Lyons-Decatur Superintendent Lindsey Beaudette called it an, “exciting time,” around the district.
Voters in the Lyons-Decatur school district approved a $21.5 million bond request. Results of the by-mail election showed a 481-347 margin of approval, or 58 percent of voters favoring the bond.
County election officials said 1,373 ballots were sent to eligible voters. The 828 that were counted represents a 60 percent return rate.
The election was the latest step in the process of replacing the elementary building that has served the district for 114 years and counting.
Proponents believed that by implementing a mail-in election format, a decision would be known sooner—and more district patrons would actually vote—than if the measure was placed on the ballot for the May primary.
The decision gives designers an extra two months to complete plans. Finishing plans sooner means construction could start sooner making it more likely, district officials believe, to complete construction in time for the start of the 2024-25 school year.
Beaudette said final design plans would likely consume the next four to six months. The project could be let for bid. She expected construction to be under way by next fall.
The new facility would be built largely to the south of the current gymnasium which was constructed in 1962. The idea is to replace every classroom in the elementary wing, a three-story structure that was built in 1907. The old building would not be vacated until the new one is ready, projected to be the fall of 2024.
Safety concerns are among the key reasons L-D officials want to replace the old building. Windows in the upper floors do not open, so in the event of an emergency they could not be used to help evacuate the building. It also has no fire suppression system and is not ADA compliant. The building does not provide a secure entry and some of the rooms cannot be exited without walking through another classroom.
The new structure also will add more space for the district’s special eduction classes.
The new building would add secure entrances on the east and west sides with an eye toward reducing traffic congestion around the building.
A new gymnasium is sought to relieve scheduling conflicts certain to start next year. Lyons-Decatur is in the final year of a co-operative agreement with Bancroft-Rosalie. Starting with the next school year, Lyons-Decatur will be down to one functional gym for the eight teams it fields between third grade and high school.
But plans come with a $21.5 million price tag, an amount that had been scaled back from initial projections of over $28 million.
The district currently has no bonded debt. While an amortization schedule has not been determined, figures presented during a public information session in February showed a 30-year bond would add 31.39 cents to the tax levy, a 35 percent increase. That means the owner of $100,000 worth of property in the district would pay another $313.94 cents per year in property tax. Shorter bond terms show higher tax costs. For example, a 20-year bond would add $401.77 to the tax bill.
But additional costs are not as steep for ag land owners. A recent state law, LB 2, cuts ag land values in half for school bonds. The estimated annual tax burden on $100,000 of ag land is $156.97 per year on a 30-year bond.