Polson school board sends levy to voters
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POLSON — With infrastructure that needs work, the Polson School Board of trustees voted to ask voters for a five-year levy to establish both an elementary and a separate high school building reserve fund at a special meeting on Feb. 26. The proposed elementary levy would generate $220,000 per year, a total of $1,100,000 over five years, while the high school levy would generate $140,000 per year for a five-year total of $700,000.
The proposed projects for the elementary schools include:
• Blacktop repairs - $30,000
• Polson Middle School roof - $100,000
• Carpeting - $50,000
• Custodial Equipment – immediate - $0
• Custodial equipment – yearly $15,000
• Operation and maintenance - $25,000
The proposed projects for the high school include:
• Security clocks - $20,000
• Maintenance/equipment - $40,000
• Operation/maintenance – first year $80,000 for new bleachers
This district received a Quality Schools Grant for replacing Cherry Valley Elementary School’s boiler. After tabling the bill that would fund the grants, the legislature “found another pot of money,” according to Dan McGee, McKinstry Essention LLC representative, so Polson’s project should receive $968,000. That is less than the $1.9 million the board counted on, so it’s up to the district to make up the difference. That money would come from district funds or would be borrowed by the district, not from the levy, Chairman John Triolo noted.
The board voted to hire McKinstry for a design engineering study proposal for four new classrooms at Linderman Elementary School and a district maintenance shop.
In April McKinstry will deliver pricings and energy savings figures so the design work will be done by the end of April when Governor Steve Bullock signs the bills into law, McGee said. Work on the buildings can begin in May so the boiler will be up and running by mid-September, said Nick Salmon, CTA Architects and Engineers. Salmon was involved with the Quality Schools Planning grant.
The new Cherry Valley boiler will provide more than 90 percent efficiency compared to an estimated 65 percent for the old boiler, McGee said. That will result in a $10,000 savings annually.
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be March 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the district conference room.
