Bulk of $132 million plan would fund new high school

Delaware State News

DOVER — Capital School District residents will be asked to approve a $132 million referendum on March 2 after the school board unanimously approved a motion to move forward with it during Wednesday’s meeting.

"The emotion I feel for the opportunity to move forth and convince our citizens that we need a new high school now ... I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity ... and I want to thank you deeply and sincerely," district superintendent Dr. Michael D. Thomas said to the board after their approval.

"Of course there are other aspects to the referendum, but the high school is the overwhelming majority of the funding and it will be the cornerstone of the district and the community."

If approved, the referendum would fund the construction of a new Dover High School, site renovations at William Henry Middle, Booker T. Washington Elementary and Central Middle, the purchase or construction of a professional development office and the purchase or construction of a new maintenance building and receiving facility for the district.

Dr. Thomas said the referendum will ask voters for additional local funds to go towards the new high school, which he called "critical."

"The funding determined by the state formula (for referendums) will build the basic structure, but high schools have several special areas that require additional local dollars," he said.

"We want people decades from now to say ‘You put a lot of thought into this high school.’"

The need in the community for a state-of-the-art high school was one of several reasons Dr. Thomas gave for why Capital residents should support the referendum.

Four voting sights for the referendum were also approved by the board on Wednesday, including Hartly Elementary, South Dover Elementary, Towne Point Elementary and William Henry Middle.

The referendum will fund four main projects, though the bulk of the money will be used for the new high school.

According to the district, the total amount being sought for the high school is about $114 million, which includes nearly $70 million from the state, and $45 million from local funds, $15 million of which are "additional" local funds.

The site renovations for William Henry Middle, Booker T. Washington Elementary and Central Middle will cost $5.5 million total, about $3.9 million from the state and $1.7 from local funds.

The professional development and district office center will cost about $8.4 million, all of which will come from local funds. The maintenance and receiving facility for the district will also come strictly from local funds and will cost about $3.9 million.

District business manager Sean Sokolowski provided board members with a report on projected tax rates residents can expect if they approve the referendum.

The numbers are based on the assumption that voters approve the referendum in its entirety and therefore would be asked to fund about $59 million, while the state would provide about $73 million.

For instance, for fiscal year 2011, if the approximate market value for a home is $50,000, there would be a $27.19 increase per year in taxes.

For a home worth about $100,000, residents would see a $54.38 per year increase.

A home worth about $200,000 would see a $108.73 tax increase per year.

Homes worth about $300,000 would see an increase of $163.11 per year in taxes.

Mr. Sokolowski said the increases would generally decrease every fiscal year thereafter.

Dr. Thomas said if homeowners are interested in knowing how their tax rates would be affected by the referendum, they can contact Mr. Sokolowski at 672-1556.

By Jamie-Leigh Bissett

Delaware State News

DOVER — The Capital School Board of Education decided Wednesday it will begin the planning process for a proposed $135 million referendum, which could take place as early as the spring.

Though no action was taken at the meeting on Wednesday, superintendent Dr. Michael Thomas said the item will again appear on January’s agenda where the board could vote on it.

"Three and a half years ago we put together a facilities master plan, and it is important for the district to carry that plan out over the next decade," he said. "We don’t want to react to growth; we want to act. This is what good planning does for you."

Dr. Thomas reminded board members that even though the state is facing a huge deficit in its general operating budget, capital projects are a different line item altogether.

"The state approved (the Certificate of Necessity), so they must have funds available to fund these projects," he said.

"If we lose our place in line, it could take another decade to get back in line. Somebody is going to get these funds, so we don’t want to lose our place."

Additionally, Dr. Thomas said, the projects would create jobs in the community, and because of the bidding climate, the district would likely get a good deal.

"There is no other time we would get a better price on bids than right now," he said.

Dr. Thomas told board members that district business manager Sean Sokolowski would have numbers prepared in the next several weeks to show the effect the referendum would have on residents’ tax rate.

The proposed Capital referendum, the Certificate of Necessity for which was approved recently by the state Board of Education and Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery, is broken down into four categories.

The first certificate is for the construction of a new Dover High School, for which the district has already purchased land off Del. 8, west of the city.

This certificate also includes an addendum for additional local funds that would be requested of the citizens in addition to the state funding, Dr. Thomas said.

Generally, referendums are funded with 70 percent state funds, and 30 percent of local funds. The addendum would require more money from the local share.

Board member Thomas Keitel said Wednesday it is his, and his fellow board members’, intention to clarify to their constituents what they intend to do with the extra local funds prior to referendum vote.

Dr. Thomas elaborated, saying every new high school built in Delaware over the last three years has asked for money outside the traditional state referendum formula.

He said the funds would allow the district to address specific needs for a high school, such as the enhancement of an auditorium to accommodate 1,800 students, science lab expansions and additional athletic field space, the needs for which would not be covered using the base referendum formula.

"We don’t want to build the school for the next five years, but 20-30 years down the road," Dr. Thomas said.

The second certificate is for the construction or purchase of a professional development center and a new district office.

The third certificate seeks the construction or purchase of a new maintenance and receiving facility.

The fourth and final certificate asks for several different items, including renovating the bus drop-off, pickup and parking area at William Henry Middle School.

This certificate also includes the proposed purchase of 1.9 acres of land on the corner of Saulsbury Road and Clara Street for future expansion, Dr. Thomas said.

Possible vote on $135 million package could come in spring

Delaware State News

DOVER — Capital School District board members will discuss whether or not they want to proceed with a $135 million referendum this spring during tonight’s 7:30 p.m. meeting at North Dover Elementary School.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Thomas said the district recently received approval for the Certificate of Necessity they applied for over the summer from the state Board of Education and Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery.

He said tonight’s meeting is for "discussion purposes only" and does not expect the board to take any action.

Dr. Thomas said the discussion will likely carry over into January’s meeting, adding that if and when the board decides to proceed, a referendum would likely follow between 45-90 days after.

The district’s Certificate of Necessity, Dr. Thomas said, was divided into four sections.

The first certificate is for the construction of a new Dover High School, for which the district has already purchased land off of Del. 8, west of the city. This certificate also includes an addendum for additional local funds that would be requested of the citizens in addition to the state funding, Dr. Thomas said.

Generally, referendums are funded with 70 percent state funds, and 30 percent of local funds. The addendum would require more money from the local share.

"High schools have specialty areas that will require additional funds to augment the building structure itself," he said.

The second certificate is for the construction or purchase of a professional development center and a new district office.

The third certificate seeks the construction or purchase of a new maintenance and receiving facility.

Dr. Thomas said the current district maintenance garage, behind Central Middle School, is old and the district would like to demolish it and relocate it to another parcel of land, possibly behind the site of William Henry Middle School and Booker T. Washington Elementary School.

Dr. Thomas said this would also provide additional field space for Central.

The fourth and final certificate asks for several different items, including renovating the bus drop-off, pick-up and parking area at William Henry.

"It is a very congested area and we think it poses a safety issue," he said. "Part of that would also expand the playground space at Booker T. Washington."

In addition to expanding the parking area at William Henry, this certificate also includes the proposed purchase of 1.9 acres of land on the corner of Saulsbury Road and Clara Street for future expansion, Dr. Thomas said.

He said DelDOT has discussed future plans to make Saulsbury Road a four-lane highway, as well as to put up a stop light at the Clara Street-Saulsbury Road intersection.

Because two Capital schools feed off of that road — William Henry and Booker T. Washington — the purchase of land would allow the district to create a service road for the two schools.

Dr. Thomas said the breakdown of funding for the four certificates does not fit into the traditional 70-30 state funding structure like most referendums.

He said some of the funding for the projects, like the extra money for the high school construction, the new professional development and district office, and maintenance garage, would all come strictly at the local level.

The local-only portion of the referendum totals $30.2 million.

Dr. Thomas said the funding for the rest of the new high school construction, the renovation of the parking area at William Henry, and the purchase of the land off of Saulsbury Road would be calculated using the 70-30 split state formula.

The total cost would be $104.85 million, with $31.3 million coming from the local share and $73.39 million coming from the state.

He said the down economy is "certainly" something the board will have to take into consideration. However, Dr. Thomas added that under the current system in Delaware, the board will have to consider whether it wants to risk losing its spot in the certificate approval process.

"If the state is willing to give you certificates this year, and you don’t proceed, it could be many years down the road before the certificates are approved again," he said.

Dr. Thomas also said the district has about a year to approve a referendum or the Certificate of Necessity will expire.

For more information, call the district office at 672-1500. The Capital school board agenda can be found on the district’s Web site at http://www.rschooltoday.com/se3bin/clientschool.cgi.