Richland County School District Long-Range Facility Plan 2018
RCCU1 Began a Community Engagement Process in January 2017 Facility Advisory Citizens for Tomorrow’s Students
The FACTS Committee Had Three Primary Objectives 1) Understand the long-term challenges the school district faces with facility maintenance and repair 2) Gather community input on how best to address these challenges 3) Present a report to the board of education upon completion
The FACTS Committee Held Five Community Engagement Sessions - March 28, 2017: Current Assessment of District Facilities - April 24, 2017: Characteristics of 21 st Century Schools - September 12, 2017: High School Renovation Ideas & Funding Options - October 10, 2017: Options of High School Renovations & Funding - November 2, 2017: Recommendations
During the Community Engagement Sessions, there was typically a presentation followed by work activities to allow those in attendance to provide input.
Current Assessment of School District Facilities BLDD Architects completed a professional evaluation using a tool called the Educational Adequacy Assessment. Each school facility was given a score based on a 100-point scale.
Richland County Elementary School - Opened in 2000 - Scored an 87 on the BLDD Assessment
Richland County Middle School - Opened in 1976, Major Renovation in 2009 - Scored a 91 on the BLDD Assessment
Richland County High School - Opened in 1952 - Scored a 66 on the BLDD Assessment Physical Needs Assessment $7 Million
Report to the Board of Education 1) The school district should complete a major renovation of Richland County High School. 2) The school district should put the question of the County School Facilities Sales Tax on the March 2018 ballot as an alternate funding source to support the renovation project. 3) The school district should reconvene the FACTS Committee at a later date to review improvements to the middle and elementary school and to athletic facilities.
Illinois County School Facility Tax Public Act 97-0542 Nontraditional Approach for Illinois Public Schools Allows county voters to approve a sales tax of 1% to fund school facility costs
49 of the 102 counties in Illinois have passed the School Facility Sales Tax In our region of Illinois, those counties include: Lawrence Edwards Wabash White Hamilton Cumberland Coles Edgar Douglas Champaign Shelby Bond
Specific Details About the Sales Tax • Tax is imposed on the same general merchandise as state sales tax except: o Licensed and titled vehicles o Boats & Rvs o Unprepared food intended for home consumption o Prescription medication and over the counter medications and vitamins o Farm equipment and parts and inputs (seed and fertilizer) • It does not tax anything that is not already taxed
• Uses of the Sales Tax o New Facilities o Additions & Renovations o Facility Improvements o Safety, Security, Entrances, Disabled Access o Land Acquisition o Parking Lots o Fire Prevention & Life Safety o Abate Property Taxes • Ineligible Uses o Direct Instructional Costs (Textbooks, Computers, etc.) o Salaries o Buses o Operating Costs
Benefit to Property Taxes A school district can avoid levying property taxes by using sales tax funds to pay for facility projects that would have been paid for with property taxes. • The school district will make all attempts to make facility improvements without impacting the property tax rate.
Comparative Sales Tax Rate City Sales Tax Rate Albion 7.250% Carbondale 9.750% Champaign 9.000% Charleston 7.750% Effingham 7.500% Evansville 7.000% Fairfield 7.000% Fairview Heights 8.350% Flora 7.250% Lawrenceville 7.250% Mattoon 7.750% Mt. Carmel 7.250% Newton 6.250% Olney 6.750% Robinson 6.250% Salem 8.500% Vincennes 7.000%
Estimating School Facilities Sales Tax Fiscal Year Estimated Dollar Amount 2010 - 2011 $1,175,929 2011 – 2012 $1,254,604 2012 – 2013 $1,257,226 2013 – 2014 $1,334,032 2014 – 2015 $1,363,751 2015 – 2016 $1,264,425 2016 - 2017 $1,244,391
March 20 th is Election Day Ballot Language: Shall a retailer’s occupation tax and a service occupation tax (commonly referred to as a “Sales Tax”) be imposed in Richland County at a rate of 1% to be used exclusively for school facility purposes?
A general concept of a major high school renovation was agreed upon during the final Community Engagement Session sponsored by the FACTS Committee. This concept touches every aspect of the school and addresses the three big areas of accessibility, safety and security, and creating a 21 st Century Learning Environment.
The estimated cost of this type of project is $25 million.
Vocational Wing Auxiliary Gym Commons/Cafeteria Music Classrooms 21 st Century Classrooms New Auditorium New Entrance & Administration
The architects estimate that this renovation plan would add up to 70 years of life to the existing high school. This means that the high school would be in the same location for approximately 140 years.
Renovation of Richland County High School Will Accomplish Three Main Objectives 1) Accessibility – With a building that was constructed in 1952, there are simply some parts of the building that are inaccessible to individuals with mobility concerns.
2) Safety & Security – In the world we live in, school security is a very real concern. This concern is addressed with more limited entrances to the school.
Secure Main Entrance
3) Create a 21 st Century Learning Environment – A modern learning environment addresses student learning needs in a much different way. The areas to be upgraded in the renovation plan include general classrooms, lab facilities, library, cafeteria/commons, vocational classrooms and shops, auditorium, fine arts and performing arts spaces, and gymnasiums.
Flexible Classroom Space
Science Lab Facility
Cafeteria/Commons Area
Cafeteria/Commons Area
Cafeteria/Commons Area
Art Classroom
Career & Technical Education
Career & Technical Education
Auditorium
Auditorium
Auxilary Gymnasium
March 20 th is Election Day Ballot Language: Shall a retailer’s occupation tax and a service occupation tax (commonly referred to as a “Sales Tax”) be imposed in Richland County at a rate of 1% to be used exclusively for school facility purposes?
For additional information: www.rccu1.net Larry Bussard lbussard@rccu1.net (618) 395-2324
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