Sumner-Fredericksburg Community School District residents will consider a $16.25 million general obligation bond issue this November. If it’s approved, it would fund facility improvements, including HVAC improvements, security and safety facility upgrades, along with updates to interior spaces across the district designed to enhance and improve the learning environment.
The bond proposal is the result of extensive planning by district officials with an eye toward the future. This process has included comprehensive assessments of the district’s buildings and grounds, creation of an advisory committee, and consideration of multiple project options.
“Investing in our bond builds a solid financial foundation that supports strong futures for our students and gives our current and future school leaders the flexibility to make the best decisions for our school community” said Superintendent Ryan Cunningham. “This wise investment is the most fiscally conservative, cost-effective choice to save taxpayer funds over the next 20 years and beyond.”
Voter approval of at least 60% is required for general obligation bonds to pass in Iowa. If approved, these funds would be coupled with revenue SFCSD receives from the state’s one-cent sales tax fund, known as Securing an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE).
Cunningham said leveraging SAVE dollars for the proposed projects will allow the district to avoid placing all the financial burden on the backs of local property taxpayers.
”The School Board has a history of respecting the needs of our taxpayers, and this proposal is more evidence of that,” Cunningham said.
Building assessments identified more than $16 million worth of immediate and required maintenance at the existing four schools. Under the proposal, Durant Elementary in Sumner would be demolished, and a new elementary addition and entrance would be added to the current high school building in Sumner,” according to Cunningham.
Investments would also occur at the current middle school, and “while Fredericksburg Elementary is not listed a part of the GO Bond in regard to where the bond dollars will be invested, that does not mean there is no future potential for that building. There are still opportunities for the district to maximize the space, and those possibilities remain an important part of our district leaders’ long term planning.”
The new attendance structure prioritized our youngest students staying closest to home. This “absolutely includes preschool through 2nd grade remaining in Sumner and Fredericksburg. And while the current thinking is that 3rd and 4th graders would come together in Sumner, this specific decision is one that will continue to be part of the conversation in future planning and design,” stated Cunningham. “The reason for this is fully financial. Our general fund cannot handle the financial burden of keeping up four campuses any longer. We need to do something now to right the ship. The district has done a masterful job of keeping the general fund afloat, but everything is working against it, including state funding increases well below inflation levels for over a decade and declining enrollment.”
“Conservatively, the annual cost savings would be around $750,000 to the general fund by making these changes,” Cunningham said. “Those funds would instead be realized in taxpayer savings and to invest in students, staff, and programming.”
"It’s important for our community to understand that the cheapest and wisest thing for us to do is pass the bond,” shared Cunningham. “Not often in life are things a win-win, but this truly is. Passing the bond actually means we will have a net savings over the life of the bond that exceeds the total cost of the bond, and we will be able to use the savings to alleviate larger costs to taxpayers down the road and to invest in learning opportunities for our students.”
“The bond referendum has the potential to open doors for students to find their calling in a variety of high-demand career fields,” Cunningham said. “As we continue to plan for opportunities for our secondary students to find their path, this includes both the investment in facilities that meet their needs and looking for creative and innovative ways to partner with our great community to help create work-based and experiential learning for our students.”
The impact on property taxes from an approved bond referendum would be $2.70 per $1,000 of taxable property value. For a home in the district assessed at $175,000, this would amount to $211.02 per year—or approximately $17.58 a month.
Based on the average assessed value of agricultural land, the tax impact in Bremer County would be $3.62 per acre, while Chickasaw County would be $3.76 and Fayette County at $3.85. For a $300,000 commercial property, the annual tax impact would be roughly $493.60.
An interactive property tax calculator is among the tools available on the district’s bond referendum website, at www.sfcsd-future.org. The site also features information on the district’s facility needs, building assessments, architectural interior renderings, and answers to frequently asked questions.
SFCSD is also hosting a series of community meetings to share information about the referendum and answer questions. The first session will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, September 17 at Sumner-Fredericksburg Middle School. The second meeting this month will be on Wednesday, September 24 at the high school, beginning at 6 p.m.
Additional meetings will be held on Wednesday, October 8 and on Wednesday, October 15. Both will begin at 6 p.m with locations still to be determined based on community need and demand.
“When it comes to reshaping our schools, it’s important for all our community members to have the information they need and opportunities to ask questions,” Cunningham said. “I’ve had the opportunity to engage in literally hundreds of conversations on the bond. It is clear people care. It is clear a significant majority of people agree something needs to be done. It’s also clear that people need accurate information. As often happens, rumors and ideas spread fast, but not all are accurate. We are going all in between now and November 4th to help every voter have the accurate information they need to be fully informed with the facts and the win-win scenarios this bond creates for not only today, but for generations to come of S-F students, their families, and the community. We certainly encourage everyone to attend these meetings and be engaged on these important issues.”