CCSD Board rejects resolution for $16 million tax revenue bond on transportation facility

Following a lengthy discussion, the Carroll Community School District Board of Education voted 3-2 to reject the resolution for a tax revenue bond on Monday, which states it would not exceed $16 million on the transportation facility project.

The money from the project would come from the State Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) funds.

At the beginning of the meeting, the board held a public forum on the proposed transportation facility, a possible project that was discussed in previous meetings.

According to the most recent project expense summary, the total project expense with bid alternates for cold storage spaces is $14,623,761.

A group of attendees came to the library at Carroll High School, voicing criticism against the cost going as high as $16 million. Many of their concerns centered on the two vehicle storage spaces included in the project, which is estimated to cost $3.6 million each.

Chase Werden, a Carroll resident who spoke at the meeting, said he had not heard any updates regarding his questions from the community meeting last month. One of his questions focused on the break-even in storing the buses inside the cold storages

Based on his own math presented at the meeting, Werden said, it would take 60 years to break-even on the cost savings of putting the buses inside the cold storages.

“I’m just not sure how the district can substantiate spending $7.2 million on cold storage for these buses,” Werden said.

Jean Ludwig, a Carroll resident, also spoke out on the cost of the project, calling it “robbery.”

“Our school board is receiving bad advice from some of the same people who have caused our large cities to be in debt,” Ludwig said. “We need to fire these people and get some common-sense advice. Be creative, for crying out loud. Don’t follow advice that is contrary to your responsibility to the local taxpayers.”

Mike Andersen, a county supervisor who attended the meeting, discussed his own experience in developing a 13,000-square-foot facility, saying the price of the transportation facility project is too much.

“It really bothers me to see how much money that they are trying to charge you to put this up,” Andersen said. “This is out of control.”

Mark Beardmore, a county supervisor also present at the meeting, said they agree they need the transportation facility, but not at this expense, based on conversations he’s had with community members.

“I’m not going to speak on behalf of everybody, but you know, I’ve got my ear close to the ground and what I’m hearing is that, generally, 99% of your population thinks do something with the bus barn,” Beardmore said. “No one that I’ve talked to, that is not directly related to this issue, is advocating for a $15 million solution.”

Kim Tiefenthaler, another attendee, shared a similar sentiment about the maintenance facility.

“I think what you’re hearing from this crowd is they’re all against the cold storage,” Tiefenthaler said. “The county’s got all of their trucks underneath a nice, warm building, the city’s got all their stuff under a warm building, they don’t want the school to have cold storage, so you know what? Fine, let’s move on, let’s build your maintenance shed which we all know they need, badly.”

Per Iowa Code, a petition could be filed with the school district asking for the issuance of the bonds to be put up to a public vote.

School board member Jim Friel brought up the idea of the school board passing a motion to bring the bond to a public vote themselves.

“I think that’s something we should take into consideration,” Friel said.

School board secretary Nicole McCarville said they can’t take action on this during the meeting because of the time constraints and the specific steps they’d need to take by the November election.

If they reject the motion, the board would need to restart the process by having a new resolution and public hearing. Otherwise, if they approve of the motion, they can meet again within 48 hours to set a limit on the funds.

School board member Jill Johnston said she understands many voters don’t want the cold storage included in the project. However, she said she doesn’t understand why they need to continue pushing the resolution out.

By voting for the resolution and reconvening in 48 hours to set a limit on the amount they can use, Johnston said, it’ll showcase they’re listening to the public.

“If I’m going to earn the trust of the public, doing it this way is going to prove that I am listening,” Johnston said.

Even if they decide to reduce the amount later, school board member Duane Horsley said, he didn’t want to approve the $16 million amount. He said when they have time to reconvene, they can bring the bond to a number the voters can get behind.

Horsley made a motion to reject the resolution, with Friel seconding it. Horsley, Friel and board member Stacy McCaulley voted yes to reject the resolution, while Johnston and board member Kristen Lundstrom voted no.

The school board members met again on Thursday morning to set a date for another public hearing on the amount they can use from the SAVE funds. More information will be included in the Tuesday edition.