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At the August 7, 2008, board meeting, the
members of the Ottawa Hills School District Board of Education took action
to put the replacement of a 1.5 mill Permanent Improvement (PI) levy on the
November ballot. The current PI levy, originally passed in 2003, will
expire in 2008.
A PI levy may be used only for capital
expenditures that have a useful life of five years or more. It may not be
spent on the day-to-day operating expenses of the district. It will be used
to maintain and repair buildings and grounds; to purchase technology
hardware, furniture, and other equipment; to install security systems; and
to fulfill the requirements of Jarod’s Law.
The district currently has two PI levies.
Each of these existing PI levies runs for five years. At the end of the
five-year period, each levy must be either replaced or renewed. The PI levy
on the ballot this fall is a replacement. If it passes, collection will
begin in January 2009.
Because it is a replacement, not a renewal,
the levy will be based on the current property valuation of the community.
For the owner of a $300,000 home, it would mean an increase of approximately
$13 per year in property taxes. This new levy will be in effect for four
years, rather than the current five-year time period.
In the recent past, the PI funds have been
used for such things as computers, SMARTBoards, and other hardware;
technology infrastructure (network and internal wiring); the elementary and
junior/senior high school roof replacement projects; security upgrades
resulting from the Security and Vulnerability Assessments; and many other
major repairs and renovations to the district’s facilities.
In the future, funds from this levy will be
used for such projects as upgrading technology hardware; replacing flooring
in classrooms and hallways; upgrading heating and ventilation systems for
energy conservation and cost effectiveness; installing new lighting, ceiling
fans, and dropped ceilings in classrooms; remodeling restrooms; replacing
lockers; installing new countertops and shelving in classrooms; replacing
concrete on porches and sidewalks; replacing the multipurpose room and
elementary gym floors; and upgrading electrical service to meet 21st
century classroom needs. PI funds may also be contributed toward the
installation of an artificial turf field, as well as to the capital
maintenance of the natural grass fields within the elementary and
junior/senior high school complex. They will be used to repave the parking
lots at both buildings next summer.
We hope to continue to have the community’s
support for this PI levy. As always, school funding is a major concern for
our district. We must provide the financial resources necessary to have
safe, secure, well-maintained buildings and grounds and to supply the
technology needed by our students and teachers. With this continued
funding, we can preserve the community’s investment in our schools.
Cathleen Heidelberg
Superintendent |
