By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
People in Juab School District certainly haven't been
knocking the doors down to get into informational public
meetings to learn about the November bond election and voted
leeway so school building can take place in the
district.
One or two people have attended each of the meetings
to date.
"We have had more board members, district staff, and
our families attend than we have had interested patrons,"
said Delanie Hathaway, board vice president.
"We are hoping that is a good sign," said Leon Pexton,
board president.
There were two patrons who attended the Thursday night
meeting in Mona at the elementary school. Melinda Clark and
John Willmore had only a few questions for Pexton and
Superintendent Kirk Wright.
Pexton presented the district information and
indicated that the district growth rate from 1990 to 2005
was 2.5 percent.
The estimated tax impact for a homeowner of $150,000
market value home shows an increase compared to 10 year
average would be $3.21 a year or 27-cents a month.
The increase compared to 2006 tax would be $5.11 a
year or 43-cents a month.
Homeowners receive a 45 percent exemption so a
$150,000 market value becomes $82,500, said Pexton.
"This does not include the tax impact of other taxing
entities," said Pexton. "These figures are just for the
school district."
The 10-year average from 1996 to 2005 (average rate
.007570) is $624.53; the current 2006 tax (rate is .007547)
$622.63; and the estimated 2007 tax, if both the bond and
leeway are approved (total rate is estimated to be .007609),
comes in at $627.74.
"Basically, PacifiCorp is paying for the school
building program," said Pexton.
Business is not taxed in the same way residences
are.
There are no exemptions on businesses so that per
$150,000 of value, the 10 year average from 1996 to 2005
(average rate .007570) would be $1,135.50; the current 2006
tax (rate is .007547) is $1,132.05; and the estimated tax if
both bond and leeway are approved (total rate is estimated
to be .007609) is $1,141.35.
The increase compared to the 10 year average is $5/85
a year or 49-cents a month and the increase compared to the
2006 tax is $9.30 a year or 78-cents a month.
An important point, said Pexton, is that for a
relatively small tax increase, the district can accommodate
student growth for approximately 15 years.
"Building and expanding facilities results in higher
operating costs," said Pexton. "A voted leeway is needed to
cover these costs without impacting instruction."
"In my view, this is a no-brainer," he said.
If the bond and voted leeway are not passed, then the
impact will come and there may need to be year-round
schools, or split-sessions, more portable classrooms, and
larger class sizes.
Most of the general fund expenditures in the district
are spent for personnel costs at 86.8 percent, he said. In
that fund, 7.6 percent goes for textbooks and supplies; 4.2
percent for purchased services; 0.6 percent for equipment;
and 0.8 percent for other.
The 2005 budgeted general fund revenue by source shows
that taxes, interest and fees brings in 14 percent; federal
funds add 7 percent; state funds add the largest amount at
77 percent and the 10 percent of Basic and Reserves adds 2
percent.
The 2005 budgeted general fund expenditures by
function show that instruction accounts for 68 percents;
instructional support, 4 percent; student support services,
2 percent; general administration 4 percent; school
administration, 6 percent; maintenance, 11 percent; business
2 percent; and transportation, 3 percent.
"Juab School District was voted one of the most
efficient in the state," said Pexton.
However, the day school starts, 86 percent of the
budget is already committed. So the voted leeway is
essential to help pay the costs to run the school.
"Over the years, we have had a constant growth
pattern," Pexton said.
"If current student growth rates continue, the
district projects that environment in the district will grow
from the present 2,000 students to between 2,750 and 3,000
students by 2020," he said.
The main reason the district did not start building
the new Red Cliffs Elementary school in the district earlier
was that they had no idea what school construction would
cost the taxpayer.
"We knew it was going to need to be done," said
Pexton, "but until the PacifiCorp Power Plant came on line,
we didn't know what it was going to cost you."
The split made one year ago, of taking students from
Nephi Elementary and making two student bodies from one,
has been a great benefit, he said.
"It has worked very well and has given us room to
breathe," Pexton said.
It will be necessary to pass the $17.5 million bond in
order to construct the new Red Cliffs Elementary School,
expand the Mona Elementary school, and renovate the current
Red Cliffs Elementary.
"We need to pass the voted leeway to generate
approximately $250,000 in order to fund added educational
services indulging operational expenses of new construction,
inflationary costs, and maintenance of smaller class sizes,"
said Pexton.
"If the leeway doesn't pass, even though the bond
approval was gained, I don't think we would be interested in
building a school," said Pexton.
He said the district does have a long term plan to
facilitate student growth, which will run from 2006 to
2020.
In the years between 1970, when the student population
was 1,000, and 1995, when the student population reached
1,800, Nephi Elementary had an addition in 1972 and Juab
High School Vocation Building, Juab High, Juab Middle
School, Juab Middle School Addition, and Juab High School
Addition had all come into service.
A new high school had been built and property acquired
for the construction of a new elementary school in the years
between 2000 and 2006.
The projected growth for Mona Elementary is set at 3
percent between 2006 and 2020.
"We propose to add nine classrooms and a multipurpose
room to the Mona Elementary," said Pexton.
"In the late 1980s," he said "we thought about closing
the Mona school. Now Mona is the fastest growing school in
the district."
By 2020, there will be a projected student body of
more than 400 students.
Red Cliffs Elementary, if the bond and voted leeway
passes and it is built, will house an expected student body
of more than 800 students by 2020.
Nebo View Elementary should reach 480 students by that
time, Juab Junior High should be at more than 500 students
and Juab High School should reach 900 students.
The figures are on a projected 3 percent growth
rate.
Pexton said that between January and April of 2005,
the board appointed citizens' committee had considered year
around schools, split sessions, building new facilities,
adding on to existing facilities, and other options.
That committee returned with the short term
recommendation that the district create three K-6 elementary
schools.
The advantages were that it created room to grow at
the elementary level for the next three to four years,
created instructional continuity during the k-6 years, set
the stage for a potential permanent K-6 grade organization
that will cause less disruption when the new school is built
and eliminated some busing.
The committee recommended a long term plan for
district board consideration.
The final board long term plan is that between 2007
and 2008 a new Red Cliffs K-6 Elementary school with a
700-800 student capacity be built.
During that same time period, seven to ten new
classrooms at Mona would be built and Mona would be a
400-500 student capacity K-6 school.
Between the years 2009 and 2010, the existing Red
Cliffs K-6 school with a s student capacity of 400-500
students would become the new Nebo View Elementary.
Also between 2009 and 2010, the entire current Nebo
View School, the Juab Junior High Building, and the Juab
High School would become at 7-12 complex.
The projected elementary school student capacity would
then be 750 students at the Red Cliffs school, 475 at the
remodeled Red Cliffs school which would then become the Nebo
View School, and 475 students at the Mona school.
The projected elementary capacity would be 1,700 as
compared with 1,100 current elementary students--a growth of
600 students.
The projected secondary student capacity would include
the junior high including the current Nebo View school of
750 students, a Juab High School with the vocational
building from 9-12 of 750 students, with a total projected
capacity of 1,500 students. Current secondary enrollment is
850 students.
"There are currently no plans to build a school in
Levan," said Pexton.
There are 110 students in grades K-6.
"The population there is basically static," he said.
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