Voters living in the Eden Valley-Watkins school district will decide June 6 whether to fund $12 million to address student safety, building security, and facility needs in the school district.
On Feb. 22, the EV-W school board unanimously approved putting the referendum ballot to voters this summer. The referendum comes after a district-wide review of the aging facilities, outdated mechanical and ventilation systems, and recommended security improvements. The district formed a task force at the beginning of the 2016 school year that reviewed student safety, building security, and renovations to the 1927 building, and then made recommendations to the school board. The task force gave its facility proposal to the school board on Dec. 7.
Voters will be presented with one single ballot question. The ballot question will ask voters to approve $12 million, which would go to:
?Ä¢ Facility renovations and improvements to instructional spaces, heating, ventilation, plumbing and ADA accessibility in the 1927 building.
?Ä¢ Facility renovations and improvements to secure entrances, parking and student drop off zones, roof repair, air quality and ventilation at the Eden Valley Elementary School.
?Ä¢ Facility renovations and improvement to secure entrances, fire protection, roof repair, air quality and ventilation at Watkins Elementary School.
?Ä¢ Develop an athletic complex at EV Elementary to relocate and build a new football field, track, concessions, team rooms, site work and lighting.
The preliminary tax impacts from the bond referendum have been estimated, and will be provided at area informational meetings, school district website, and various media outlets.
Polling places for the June 6, 2-8 p.m. referendum will include Watkins Elementary School and the EV-W High School Cafeteria.
Next steps for the board include community engagement and informational sessions to answer any questions about the facility plan and referendum. The public is invited to the following facility informational meetings:
?Ä¢ Monday, April 3, at 6 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria
?Ä¢ Monday, April 24, at 7 p.m. in the Watkins Elementary Gymnasium
?Ä¢ Community civic organizations should contract Superintendent Messman to schedule an informational presentation at your meeting site
We want to thank our Community Task Force members for their work, recommendations, and energy put into this project, the EV-W School District residents that provided facility feedback on the annual surveys, and our school board for their progressive plans to provide our students with security, comfortable learning environments, and meeting future educational needs for generations to come.