Dale Denwalt
Daily Elk Citian

Voters living in the Merritt School District will have a chance next month to approve a multi-million dollar bond issue aimed at improving the schools' buildings and technology.

Superintendent Jeff Daugherty told a small crowd at Monday's meeting of parents and teachers that the $6.89 million bond issue would help the school handle an increase in the student population.

One person in attendance asked what would happen if the Feb. 14 vote fails.

"We'll be way overcrowded for several years to come," Daugherty replied.

ELEMENTARY POPULATION

Nearly all of the 90 new students Merritt has seen this year are in fourth grade or lower, the superintendent said.

The district had 550 students last year. This year, the population went up more than 16 percent.

Daugherty said he has seen a continuous increase in the number of students attending Merritt. Overcrowding has led to some elementary classes being taught in the high school and middle school buildings.

TAX INCREASE

If passed, property owners in the Merritt School District would pay 15 percent more on their property tax bill. The increase would last approximately 14 years, until all of the bonds, plus interest is paid off.

The district's bond adviser initially proposed a plan that would have raised less money and included a 20-percent tax hike spread over 10 years.

"I told him no, I'm not going to support that. It's too much," Daugherty told the Parent-Teacher Organization.

The bond requires a 60-percent majority to pass. If it does, the school will begin offering the bonds this summer.

LAND VALUE

Taxable property in the district totals about $38 million. Daugherty said that for the past 12 years, the value of Merritt's property has risen. For instance, he said, valuation in the district totaled $23 million a few years ago.

Valuation can rise or fall depending on the amount of property in the district, and how much the county says a property is worth.

If valuation continues to rise, the district will be able to pay off the bonds more quickly, thereby shortening the amount of time the bond levy stays on the tax rolls.

Daugherty also said that about 58 percent of the taxable property in the district is owned by businesses, utilities and energy producers.

"Which means you and I, unless you own a business, are paying for 42 percent of this," he said.

Taxpayers could also see a bright spot in a few years, when the county can start taxing property currently occupied by wind turbines.

"It'll add more money and the taxes will go down," he said.

SAFE ROOM

One major improvement at Merritt will be the addition of a new building, which will contain a new cafeteria that will double as a safe room in the event of damaging storms.

A federal grant would pay for 75 percent of the building, while Merritt will have to pony up 25 percent.

Daugherty said that the district must have the other 25 percent ready on hand.

"Last year and this year, I've spent very little out of the building fund," he said.

NEW SPACE

The current cafeteria will be converted into a music department with two practice rooms and a classroom. Another classroom will be included in the renovations.

"The kitchen's in really bad shape. The main thing is the room. You can repair this stuff, but it's still not big enough," he said.

Some of the existing classrooms are considered too small to contain two dozen students.

"Our rooms are in pretty good shape, but the problem is those rooms on the north end, they're not big enough," he said.

The bond would also build a new library and media room. The current library will be converted into two classrooms.

Another addition will be a building for pre-kindergarten and elementary students. Daugherty said this improvement will allow the district to move forward on its plan to extend pre-k to a full day.

"I think that helps our parents out a bunch," he said.

TECH UPGRADES

The school currently operates on an Internet service that lags during certain parts of the day. The bond calls for improvements in the service, which would both save money and increase Internet capacity, Daugherty told the PTO.

"Right now, especially during fourth and sixth hours, it runs real slow and will kick you off. Those are the times when most of the computers are being used all at once," he said.

"This will allow all students and faculty to be on the Internet at once, and right now we're not able to do that very well at all."

Merritt also has plans to explore purchasing laptops and iPads or e-readers for the students. Teachers would also get new computers in their classrooms.