USD 388

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USD 388 BOND PROPOSAL

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ s)

What is a bond?

School bonds are a way for school districts to borrow money.  Investors buy promissory notes, such as school bonds.  The school district gets cash in the short term and agrees to pay the investor back over a fixed period of time.

How much is the bond being proposed and what are the terms?

The amount of bond being proposed and voted on is $4,550,000.  It is a 15 year bond with the interest rate to be determined closer to the time of bond issuance.   A recent survey conducted by the FHSU Docking Institute revealed that most district residents would support an educational bond in the $5 million range.

When is the election to vote on this bond?  Why a special election instead of in November?

The election date is Thursday, September 8, 2022.  In 2019, the Bond Committee started work on this bond, which experienced several delays in development, including the COVID pandemic and state legislative actions.  These delays have passed and upon the recommendation of our Architect and Bond Counsel, the USD 388 BOE chose to move forward with the bond proposal.  Holding a special election was debated extensively, but ultimately the rising interest rate environment and the desire to avoid further delays moved the USD 388 BOE to hold the election as soon as possible. The estimated cost of this election is $4,000 - $6,000.  The final date to register to vote is August 18, 2022!

What will the bond pay for?

Facilities at both schools, Ellis Jr/Sr High and WGS will be touched by this bond.  Below is a summary of planned uses of the funds at each of the schools in our district.  This bond will not fund or include any athletic facilities or improvements.

Included in the above estimates are a 5% contingency fee and a 1% bond fee. 

When will the bond projects be completed?

After the election in September, there will be an approximately 6 month design period, with a 1- month period for bidding.  With favorable bid numbers, materials procurement times, etc., most of the work should be able to be completed within 12 months, concluding in the summer of 2023. 

How do I register to vote?

Registering to vote can be done online or in person.  To register in person go to the Ellis County Clerk office located at 718 Main St. Hays Ks.

To register online use the following link: www.kdor.ks.gov/apps/voterreg

DEADLINE for Sept 8th Election – you must be registered to vote by 12:00 midnight on August 18th, 2022 to be eligible to vote in this election. 

How/Where do I vote?

You may vote in person on the date of the election at your normal polling location.

You may vote in person at the Ellis County Clerk office located at 718 Main St. Hays, KS beginning August 31, 2022 through 12:00pm on September 7, 2022.

You may request a mail-in ballot from the Ellis County Clerk office through August 31, 2022.  Mail-in ballots must be post marked no later than September 8, 2022 and be received by September 13, 2022. 

How do I learn more about what is included in this bond?

Visit the bond website at: https://www.usd388.com/page/usd-388-bond  or call the district office at 785-726-4281 or attend one of the public presentations on August 16 (6:30pm),  August 21 (4:30pm)  or September 1 (6:30pm) at Gigi’s Café in downtown Ellis.   

Why do we need a bond to pay for these things?  Don’t we plan for these expenditures?

The district budgets/allocates funds designated for capital outlay items in each annual budget.  These capital outlay items include but are not limited to: replacement of transportation vehicles, maintenance of all district facilities, replacement of mechanical items, and alterations to facilities to accommodate new educational needs. 

Presently the district budgets approximately $280,000 annually for these types of expenditures.  Roughly $167,000 of this amount pays for the previous replacement of the high school HVAC system which occurred 13 years ago.  The remaining $113,000 is available for all other district capital needs.  This amount ($113,000) is insufficient to fund both annual capital needs and larger capital projects such as roof replacement, renovating, or building new facilities. 

Has the final design been completed?

No.  The final design will be completed only after (and if) the bond is passed by district voters.  Having the final design done now means the district would have incurred unnecessary expenses if the bond does not pass on September 8th.

How much will my taxes increase because of this bond?

Tax cost of the proposed bond would be assessed based on the following property types:

Monthly Cost of Proposed Bond by Property Type

(Applies ONLY to property located in the USD 388 taxing district)

USD 388 Bond History:

The last school bond that was passed by the USD 388 community occurred in November of 1974.  The bond amount of $1.975 million dollars was approved to construct the Ellis High School building, now the Ellis Jr/Sr High School.  This was a 20-year bond that was paid off in 1995 at an interest rate of 5.2% to 6.2%.

The district ran a school bond in June of 2013 for approximately $10 million dollars that failed.  This bond included:

·       Jr/Sr High School Secondary Gym

·       Locker Rooms, Storage, Concessions, and Restrooms

·       Junior High Addition to High School

·       Football Field, Track, Press box, Bleachers, Concessions, Restrooms

·       Utility and Equipment Relocation

·       New Asphalt Drive

·       Jr/Sr High School Wrestling and Weight Room

·       Jr/Sr High School HVAC Loan Payoff

The district ran another school bond in November of 2014.  This bond was for approximately $9 million dollars and also failed.  This bond included:

·       Jr/Sr High School Secondary Gym

·       Locker Rooms, Storage, Concessions, and Restrooms

·       Junior High Addition to High School

·       Football Field, Track, Press box, Bleachers, Concessions, Restrooms

·       Washington Grade School HVAC Replacement

·       Jr/Sr High School HVAC Loan Payoff

Current District Facilities

Ellis Jr./Sr. High School

This building was opened 45 years ago (1977) originally hosting four high school grades.  It has not been added on to or undergone major renovations since construction.  The original rubberized gym floor has been removed and replaced with traditional wood flooring.  The bathrooms have just recently been remodeled and upgraded.  In 2017, the roof sustained hail damage and a portion of it was replaced at a cost of $198,000.  Thirteen years ago the HVAC system was replaced and approximately $1,750,000 was borrowed to fund its replacement, resulting in a $167,000 annual loan payment for 15 years which will be fully repaid in the next two years.   In 2014 the current wrestling/weight room was constructed to replace an aging facility located at the old high school campus.  The cost of nearly $210,000 (building only) was funded partially by the district and $85,000 was raised privately to assist in paying for this building and related equipment.   Its roof was recently replaced due to storm damage at a cost of $54,000.   This year the ag shop roof was damaged due to wind and is being replaced at a cost of $46,000.  A project replacing all classroom and hallway lighting is nearly complete, with the labor being performed by students from NCK Vo-tech.  In 2014 the Junior High (7th & 8th Grade) was moved to the high school, which now houses grades 7-12. 

Washington Grade School

This building was constructed over 60 years ago and housed grades K-8 until 2014 at which time grades 7-8 were moved to the high school building. It now hosts grades K-6 and a pre-K program (Head Start).  The building has a gym that doubles as the cafeteria.  Within the past six years some original windows were removed and closed in with siding to improve energy efficiency.  Various roof repairs have occurred where necessary and in conjunction with storm damage, most recently in 2018 & 2019.   The classroom and hallway flooring is, for the most part the original flooring.  The building is heated by a boiler and piping that is original to the building, and it is cooled by window air conditioning units throughout the buildings.  Bathroom fixtures have been updated but the tile and floorcoverings are the original materials.

HVAC Replacement Summary (Per Sean Miller, Integrated Consulting Engineers, Inc.) 

The existing HVAC system at the Washington Grade School is comprised of aged hot water boilers and cabinet unit heaters for heat with window air conditioners for cooling in most spaces. The current systems do not allow for spaces to have full fresh air ventilation which is required by code. The proposed new HVAC system for the facility is a VRF or Variable Refrigerant Flow system. This system uses refrigerant from an outdoor heat pump system to both cool and heat the building. Refrigerant is distributed from the outdoor units to indoor manifolds which then deliver refrigerant for cooling or heating as needed to indoor units in each space. The indoor units will be mounted in the ceiling and have multi-speed fans and an evaporator coil along with filter and a bi-polar ionization air purifier. For fresh air to each space, a small ERV or energy recovery ventilator will be installed to draw outdoor air in and pre-condition it with exhaust air going out, thus saving energy. The gymnasium will be conditioned with gas heat and direct expansion cooling rooftop units. The VRF system is very efficient as it moves refrigerant around the building as needed to cool spaces and heat spaces simultaneously utilizing normally wasted energy. Maintenance includes washing filters at indoor units and washing condenser coils on outdoor units.

Some benefits of a VRF System:

· Indoor and Outdoor units are very quiet allowing for normal conversation when running

· Energy savings from utilizing hot gas normally wasted from cooling to heat other areas.

· Low maintenance.

· Adaptability. Systems are easily changeable and portable.

· System only uses energy needed to meet load, no overcooling or overheating, allowing for most comfort.

· Outdoor units can serve multiple indoor units allowing for less equipment on roof.

· Great system for remodel especially for buildings with structural space constraints like WGS.

Q.          How did you determine the type of HVAC that will be installed?

A.           The bond committee has worked with Alloy Architecture, engineers, and regional vendors to examine different HVAC options for WGS.  USD 388 staff members and members of the Bond Committee made site visits to other schools to view their current systems.  A number of different options, weighing the pros and cons of each were studied.  The committee searched for a system that will maintain a quality learning environment for students and staff at reasonable cost.  Fresh air exchange, efficiency, noise level, and comfort control are all being considered. 

Q.          Are there any cost savings monthly once we replace the HVAC system?

A.           The new HVAC equipment will be more efficient and cost effective than what is currently in the building, but the additional cost of equipment to provide conditioned fresh air and meet code, will likely off-set any potential cost savings.

Q.          Why do we need an electrical service upgrade at the WGS and what does it entail?

A.           The new HVAC system requires different voltage than what currently exists in the building resulting in a need for increased capacity at that facility.  That capacity will need to be brought to the location from elsewhere in our community resulting in changes to infrastructure and delivery means.

Q.          Why hasn’t the district been planning for the replacement of the HVAC system if we knew it was bad?  Can’t we save enough money over time to pay for it? 

A.           The cost of HVAC replacement is the single largest item in the bond proposal.  The relatively small amount of capital outlay funds budgeted each year (approximately $280,000) along with the current loan payment for the Jr/Sr High HVAC system ($164,000) prevents a large buildup of funds to cover all the necessary capital needs of the district, especially large one-time expenditures.

Q.          If the bond pays for the HVAC what will happen to the funds that were secured for it earlier?

A.           There aren’t necessarily funds secured only for the HVAC system.  There is approximately $1,200,000 in district capital outlay funds that are being reserved for an emergency failure of the HVAC system or any other large expenditure that unknowingly becomes a necessity.  However, passage of the bond would reduce the needed capital outlay money being held for this potential emergency.  These funds could then be made available for other capital needs of the district.

Q.          Why do we need to update our Science classrooms?

A.           Our junior high students are required to take Science each semester during their 7th and 8th grade years.  High school students need 3 credits of Science (6 semesters) to graduate.  Depending upon their interests and plans after graduation, many of our students choose to take an additional 1-2 years of Science.  For example, 25% of students from the graduating class of 2021 earned 4 credits of Science, while 11% earned 5 credits.  11% of students from the graduating class of 2022 earned 4 credits, and 20% earned 5 credits.  The Science classrooms at the Jr/Sr High are used at least 5 years by every single student who attends EJH/EHS from 7th grade to graduation. 

 Our current classrooms are 45 years old, with physical equipment, plumbing and fixtures that need to be replaced.  Instead of having separate desks and lab stations, desks can now transition into lab stations, which will enable our students to have more room to learn and to perform hands-on experiments and labs.  When originally built, the two rooms were split – one being a lab room and one a classroom.  This current setup is not conducive to running concurrent classes that both require lab work.

Q.          What is included in the new science rooms for the roughly $595,000 cost?  Are we going to have to re-wire and re-plumb the science rooms and, if so why? 

A.           Evaluation of the existing services (electrical, data, water, sewer, gas, etc.) will be included as part of the design for the science lab renovations.  If any of these services need to be replaced, updated, etc., to support the desired renovations, they will.  The cost for the renovation of the science labs accounts for the replacement of all these services if required.

              Renovation of the science rooms, includes demolition of all existing casework, flooring, ceilings, lights, etc., to allow for a complete renovation of the spaces.  The renovation will include all new casework, flooring, ceilings, lights, and reconfiguration/replacement of the existing electrical systems, data systems, plumbing systems and gas service to all appropriate locations, per the new design.

Q.          Why replace exterior doors at the Jr/Sr High School?

A.           All of the exterior doors at the high school are 45 years old and original to the building, built in 1977, and have reached/exceeded the end of their service life.  They need to be replaced with new doors, new door hardware, and insulated glazing to provide quality exterior openings for the next 20-30 years

Q.          Why aren’t our current doors “secure” enough?  We’ve been told that we have safe schools?

A.           While we consider our schools to be secure and safe, the current environment dictates a heightened level of security, particularly where access to our facilities is concerned.  Although the Jr/Sr high entry is locked and controlled by school staff, its present design does not provide staff the recommended control necessary to fully evaluate entrants PRIOR to their entering the building.  Currently when visitors are allowed entry, they have access to go anywhere in our building.  Providing secured access with visitors checking into the office will better protect our students and staff and allow educational opportunities to continue without unnecessary interruptions. 

Q.          Explain secure entry at Ellis Jr/Sr High School?

A.           At the Jr/Sr High School, a new secure entry will be created by adding a new vestibule outside of the existing door location and underneath the current entry canopy.  A new door, which will open directly into the current reception/administration area will also be added.  To create the secure entry, the existing set of doors, will be locked during school hours and the new door, opening into the administration area, will be on an electronic lock.  Staff will buzz visitors in before they are allowed to access the remainder of the school building.

Q.          Why no needs for security at WGS?

A.           WGS already has a secure entry at the front entrance, including two sets of lockable doors creating a secure area to monitor and evaluate potential entrants to the building.  The Jr/Sr High building does not have this type of entry.

Q.          Why aren’t we replacing the entire roof instead of doing it in sections?

A.           Both the WGS and the Jr/Sr High buildings have roofs that are in sections for various reasons beginning with differences in height and construction type.  Other sections are different in age due to previous repairs or due to past storm damage to one section or another.  It has been the district’s process to only replace or repair those sections that need it, especially when insurance proceeds are used to repair or replace.  The proposed bond includes replacement of approximately 15% of the WGS roof and approximately 10% of the Jr/Sr High building roof.

Q.          Why haven’t we been saving for roof replacement when we know the roofs have limited life spans?

A.           The amount of capital outlay funds budgeted each year (approximately $280,000) along with the current loan payment for the HS HVAC system ($164,000) prevents a large accumulation of funds to cover all the necessary capital needs of the district, including a full roof replacement.  The ability to “build” a reserve is extremely difficult.  If the bond should pass successfully, the existing capital outlay funds of approximately $1,200,000 would be freed up to cover other capital expenditures and district needs.

Q.          What will the interest rate be and when can it change?

A.           The interest rate will be a fixed interest rate for the full term of the bond, in this case 15 years.  The earliest the interest rate will be locked in is approximately 6-8 weeks after the election date. Upon a successful election, we will develop a timeline of events to secure final interest rates and funding for the project.  Based on recent bond issues of similar size in Kansas, the estimated interest rate based on current market conditions is 3.50-4.00%.  

Q.          My home valuation just went up.  Won’t the bond just increase my taxes even more?

A.           While it is true that most property valuations in the county have increased recently, this does not mean that district 388 patron taxes will automatically increase.  Taxes levied against properties are determined largely by the budgets set by the taxing districts in which the subject property is located. 

Q.          How will you ensure that there are no construction delays with the difficulty getting materials?

A.           At this time, there is no way to ensure that there will not be any construction delays due to the delivery timelines on material.  This will be further evaluated after a successful bond election and a general contractor is brought onboard.

Q.          What if price creep continues to occur? How will it impact the project?

A.           At this time, we have tried to estimate the project as best we can, to account for any possible inflation.  Until the project is completely designed and bid out, we will not know the true cost of the project and what impact it will have.  If “price creep” continues and exceeds the current estimates then adjustments would need to be made including possible cutbacks to the scope of the project or use of existing capital outlay funds to cover the difference.

Q.          How was the amount of the bond determined?

A.           The Bond Committee spent many meetings exploring this question.  The committee relied heavily on the past two bond surveys completed by the community through the FHSU Docking Institute.  The committee focused on addressing the essential needs of the district that patrons indicated are important to them.  

Q.          How and why did you choose Alloy?

A.           In May of 2021 the district sent Request for Proposals (RFP’s) to more than a dozen firms throughout Kansas asking if they would be interested in partnering with USD 388 to develop a school bond.  Nine of these firms indicated that they would like to work with us and submitted RFP’s for review.  These nine submittals were reviewed, and three firms where chosen by the Bond Committee to be interviewed in early July.  Following these interviews, the Bond Committee recommended Alloy Architecture to the board to serve as our partner in the bond process.

Q.          When are we getting a secondary gym? And why wasn’t that on this bond??

A.           A secondary gym was considered during the exploratory process of this bond process.  However, a list of the most pressing district needs along with the associated costs was developed and it was determined that although a secondary gym would be beneficial, it would not rank higher than those items being presently proposed.  In addition, a survey conducted by FHSU Docking Institute revealed that most district residents would support a bond in the $5 million range.  After considering all district needs, it was determined that the cost of a secondary gym would increase the required bond well over the $5 million amount and therefore put the passage of the entire bond at risk

Q.          Are there any plans for the facilities around the football field?  The locker rooms, bathroom and bleachers are all in very rough shape.

A.           There are no provisions in this proposed bond to address any items at the track/football field location.  The passage of the bond would free up existing capital outlay funds to address other needs in the district which may include addressing issues at that location.   The district recognizes that there are needs at that facility.  However, significant challenges exist for that location related to flood plain regulations. Roughly 50% of the old high school location is in the floodway, which is restricted from any new construction at all.    The remaining 50% of the property is in Flood Zone A which only allows improvements to existing properties in amounts less than 50% of the property value.  In addition, flood management methods such as elevating the property are also required in this zone.