*Editor’s Note: All letters to the editor are fact-checked before publication. The following points in the upcoming letter should be noted: the referendum language only ensures that should the referendum pass a junior high and a bus barn will be built with upgrades to be determined based on dollars available; the physical needs assessment in Bulldog Blueprint showed that the cost would be $23,300,000 and the cost to replace the junior high would be $31,000,000 (based on 88,691sf, the new junior high would be 140,000sf); Bulldog Blueprint looked at replacing the high school, citing the cost would be too high for taxpayers right now; Bulldog Blueprint also quotes the price to replace the high school at $72,000,000 (based on 205,345sf); and it has been said that the new junior high will be built to the middle school model.
I have spent significant time reviewing the Bulldog Blueprint, the related Community Engagement Sessions, and other materials prepared in support of the upcoming M-S Schools bond referendum vote on June 28th. I have also reviewed Joshua Jessup’s May 12th letter to the Mahomet Daily which I found to be very thoughtful, reasonable, and well intentioned. Lastly, I attended the May 17 Open House and had the opportunity to talk with Kevin Heid, from Stifel Nicolaus regarding the financial impact of the referendum and with Damien Schlitt, BLDD Architects about the plans to build a new Junior High School and add space to the other three schools. After reviewing all of this information, I have no doubt that we need more space, including certain additions and improvements to our existing buildings.
Therefore, I have concluded that I will vote in favor of the upcoming $97.9 million bond referendum which, if approved, will result in:
· A new 6th through 8th grade building (new Junior High) being built south of Middletown
Prairie Elementary School
· Additional space being added to Middletown Prairie Elementary
School, Lincoln Trail Elementary School and Mahomet Seymour High
School. This will be both classroom space and other types of space
necessary to support the education of our growing student
population, including a fine arts addition at High School.
· A new Transportation Facility being built south of Middletown Prairie
Elementary School.
· High priority physical needs in existing buildings being addressed,
including safety, security and technology needs.
Key factors that influenced my decision to vote for the upcoming referendum are the following:
· It seems illogical and unwise to spend more money to attempt to extend the useful life of the current Junior High School. This building is 59 years old and the estimated costs to extend its life of $44.5 million cannot, in my opinion, be cost-benefit justified.
· In 10-15 years (or less) it seems logical that we may build a new High School and the current High School would become the Junior High School (NOTE: this migration pattern would be consistent with our past history). If so, it makes sense that the new Junior High School to be built with the current bond referendum proceeds would possibly then be converted to an elementary school replacing Lincoln Trail Elementary School. At that point, the East M-S Campus (current location of Middletown Prairie) would then include all elementary grades PreK-5.
· This alignment would give us time to acquire new land for a future new High School and for long-term future expansion/construction.
· While the projected 20% increase in the M-S CUSD #3 tax rate is substantial, we must look at the need to keep our schools up-to-date and safe for our kids. In addition, the quality of our schools has been a huge factor in driving the increase in home values we’ve all seen in the past several years.
Bill Moehring
