Voters living in the borders of the Pella Community School District will have the option to pass the next round of facility upgrades next week during the school board election.
Rich Schulte with the Great Prairie Area Education Agency is the former principal of Lincoln Elementary, and is leading a committee of district families in garnering support for the ballot measure. He says the proposal will cost approximately $51 million dollars, and include a new early childhood facility next to Madison Elementary, a connector between Jefferson Intermediate and Pella Middle School for additional classroom space, new heating and cooling system at Pella High School, and upgrades to the football stadium bleachers and press box and new tennis courts at Caldwell Park.
The proposed school bond measure on Tuesday, November 2nd, would pay for approximately $40 million in projects, with the remaining balance coming from dollars the district receives from state sales tax revenue. Schulte says a yes vote does not increase the current property tax rate, and instead extends the current debt levy.