CLICK TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH SUPERINTENDENT ERIC VANDAMME
The Mid Peninsula School District is asking for a millage increase in next Tuesday’s election to raise money for building repairs and security upgrades.
This is a one-mill increase request, which Superintendent Eric VanDamme tells RRN News is smaller than the other two requests that were rejected by voters. Those proposals had sought increases of two and three mills, respectively.
“We’ve trimmed it down from three mills to one because we’ve listened to the community,” VanDamme said. “They didn’t want the three mills. They thought that maybe we were asking for some things that weren’t mandatory right now. So, we’re asking for one mill to bring our school up to par on safety and security-wise, and allow us some extra money to fix floors, and upgrade the heating units. Also, just some daily maintence stuff with our bus fleet, and things that need to be fixed in a 40-year-old building.”
The sinking fund millage would also be used to upgrade the track located at the football field. VanDamme says this money would bring in about $85,000 a year, and would let the district keep general fund dollars in the classroom. He says this is different from a bond issue, which involves borrowing money.
“It’s basically pay-as-you-go,” VanDamme said. “We would collect one mill every year. In the tenth year, because it’s a ten-year proposal, it would generate about $100,000, based on projections of property value increases. There’s no interest or anything added.”
VanDamme says the biggest issue is safety upgrades.
“The interior doors to the classrooms are so much more advanced in technology than they had 40 years ago when they built this school,” VanDamme said. “There’s systems that are wireless, were teachers can have a remote and essentially hit a button and lock your classroom door from your desk. There’s a wide range of security measures that can be done that won’t be super-noticable to the general public, but will make a difference for our student safety and staff safety.”
The election is set for Tuesday, August 8, and polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
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