are paving of the elementary ….

are paving of the elementary parking area, paving of the west-side parking lot and circle drive, and repair of the roof over the 1997 portion of the building.

Odeen said the Board could possibly use as much as $850,000 of the first year’s $1.1 million referendum for facility improvements. After that, the extra tax money would go into annual district operations such as staff wages, transportation, utilities, etc. By the fifth year of the referendum, Odeen said the $1.4 million might not be enough to balance the annual budget, but the Board should be able to get by with available funds.

“We do have a healthy fund balance now,” he said. Odeen also noted that district property values -- one of the main components in computing how much property owners contribute to the school -- are up significantly this year, mostly because values have been reassessed in several municipalities. That gives the district more value over which to spread the total tax burden, which decreases the tax rate.

“That’s actually helping us because properties are valued higher,” he said.

The Board did not choose to go with what is called a recurring referendum, or one that continues forever once approved. Odeen said the Board would prefer to come to taxpayers every few years instead of asking for a permanent tax increase.

“It’s allowed us to change those numbers as needed,” he said.