Board votes to take $13.3m bond referendum to voters

vernon - Township voters will have to make an all-or-nothing decision on Dec. 13 when they decide whether to approve a proposed $13.3-million bond issue for local schools. Several citizens, including former Mayor John Logan, appeared before the board at its Aug. 25 meeting, asking that the bond be split into two questions, one covering a $7.5-million swimming pool at the high school, the other the remaining projects planned by the board. The other proposed improvements include expanding and renovating the high school auditorium, including new lighting and sound system; a new multi-purpose field for football, lacrosse, field hockey and soccer along with new bleachers, press box, lighting and track; and improvements at both township primary schools for better security and traffic flow. The board's auditor, using what he called conservative figures, said that taxes would increase just $8 in the first year to pay for the bond. The cumulative increase would be a maxium of $40, and by the end of the 20-year issue, taxes for debt service would be substantially lower than they are today. The auditor did not consider the value of the Appalachain at Mountain Creek that will open in October or the remainder of the proposed $680-million Intrawest development. If those projects are built along with other commercial projects proposed or pending in the new town center, taxes would actually decrease, the auditor said. (See charts on page 47). The board, saying that all the projects are equally important and that the total bond issue addresses myriad needs, voted unanimously to keep the bond as one ballot question. Logan said his concern is that people who don't want a swimming pool will vote against the issue. "The pool being such a large portion, you're running the real risk of the whole thing going down because of the size of it," said Logan. "It would be prudent, in my view, to split the two." Board President Howard Whidden said splitting the issue could present other risks. "I'd hate to see the pool pass and everything else go down," he said. Jeffrey Blank, who is running for council as a Democrat, also suggested splitting the issue. "That way, the public can give you half of what you're asking for rather than nothing," he said. The board of education has seen only one referendum voted down in the past several decades. That was a proposal to buy the land at Maple Grange that is now a Native American historic site and a town park. It fell prey to the political battle that was being waged over the land between the council and proponents of preserving the historic site. Logan said he'd hate to see this issue go down because of the pool. But Whidden said that a pool is invaluable to a town that has a dozen lake communities and a championship swimming program. It would also be open to the community and the board believes it can generate money by renting the facility to other swimming teams. If the pool is considered a luxury, the other items are not, the board said. The 30-year-old bleachers at the high school have been in danger of being condemned. This year, all the joints in the structure had to be rewelded. "Our tennis courts are an embarrassment to the community," said board member John McGowan. Whidden also spoke of the importance of the proposed work at Rolling Hills and Walnut Ridge primary schools. "It will mean we will be able to renovate two of our elementary schools so that visitors or strangers will not be able to enter and wander a building without first going to the main office," he said. Whidden then laid out what it will all cost. "It will mean an increase in your debt service of eight dollars next year," he said. "That is not eight dollars per month, mind you. That is eight dollars for the year." That figure is for an average home assessed at just over $122,000. "If it is assessed at $250,000," Whidden said, "look for an increase of $16 and change. "But while you are looking at your tax bill, I urge you to think of all that you will be getting in terms of educational and monetary value, making our schools that much more attractive to future homebuyers." McGowan added, "We felt it was a fiscally sound time to do things we absolutely needed as well as things we'd like to have. We all felt this was the right time and the right items. "Thirteen-point-three million dollars is not a big number for all of this, especially for a district of our size." Councilman Neil Desmond, who is the governing body's liaison to the school board, reported that the cost of the artificial surface the board proposes for the new athletic field is dependent on the cost of oil. The town is nearly finished installing two such fields at Maple Grange. Desmond said that he had received a commitment from the supplier of the field to maintain the price at the current level for the board of education.