Community members in the Marshalltown Community School District are gathering signatures in an effort to place a bond measure on the ballot for Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
At least 497 signatures must be collected to allow the MCSD School Board to decide whether to hold a $57 million general obligation bond referendum to help finance a series of improvements at B.R. Miller Middle School. That decision would occur at an August board meeting.
The petition language reads as follows:
TO THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MARSHALLTOWN COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN THE COUNTY OF MARSHALL, STATE OF IOWA:
We, the undersigned, are eligible electors, reside within the School District and petition the Board of Directors of the School District to call a special election to submit to the voters of the School District the following proposition the purpose of which cannot be accomplished within the limit of one and one-quarter percent of the assessed value of the taxable property within the School District:
Shall the Board of Directors of the Marshalltown Community School District in the County of Marshall, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $57,000,000 to provide funds to build, furnish, and equip additions to the Miller Middle School building; to remodel, repair, equip, and improve existing portions of the Miller Middle School building and related site improvements; to acquire and install audiovisual enhancement systems to Miller Middle School and District elementary school buildings; and to remodel, repair, equip, and improve existing portions of Franklin Field?
Miller Middle School has served the community for nearly a century since it first opened as Marshalltown High School in 1925. However, the facility’s current condition is no longer conducive for 21st century learning.
Among the issues the school faces are outdated mechanical systems and finishes; narrow entryways, corridors and stairwells that fail to meet current safety and security measures; and classrooms that are 20% smaller than current academic standards. The building also has ongoing moisture and water problems; student support spaces that are undersized for the current population; a media center unable to incorporate modern technology; an outdated elevator that presents challenges for those with disabilities; and traffic congestion in the arrival and departure areas.
A committee that includes community members was created to examine the issues at Miller Middle School and identify possible solutions. This group provided the School Board with a recommendation that calls for Miller to be rebuilt and renovated, allowing the historic school to serve future generations.
The tax impact of an approved bond issue on November 5 would be $1.28 per $1,000 of taxable property, according to the financial firm Piper Sandler. This would equate to $9.37 per month for a $200,000 home.
Bond referendums must receive approval from at least 60% of voters in order to pass.
More information about the district’s facility needs and potential solutions is available at https://www.marshalltowncsdfuture.com.