Arcadia school levy up for renewal

ARCADIA — Arcadia School District has put a renewal for an existing tax levy on the May 6 ballot to avoid a potential $305,000 operating deficit. Beginning in 2025, with a first-due calendar year of 2026, the four-year tax levy renewal is estimated to average 1.5 mills per $1 of taxable value, translating to $53 for every $100,000 of appraised value. The levy ensures that Arcadia Schools can remain financially stable, maintain and improve facilities, while avoiding a potential $305,000 operating deficit. Established in 1988, the levy gathers funds the district uses to complete necessary repairs and maintain day-to-day operations. "It gives us the opportunity to do what we've always done as far as operations and things like that," said Superintendent Dave Golden. "It also gives us a little extra chunk of change that we can take and put into a fund, specifically a capital improvement fund, that allows us to do some improvements on things, but also some very needed repairs for our district." Voters last renewed the levy during the May 2021 primary election. According to the Hancock County Board of Elections, the 1.7-mill, four-year levy was renewed with 107 in favor and 85 opposed. The levy generated $305,000 annually, with the residential owner of a $100,000 appraised (market value) property paying $60 annually in property taxes for the levy. Throughout its 37 years, the levy has been used to complete numerous projects in the district. With facilities dating back to 1923, the district has to maintain and repair aging buildings regularly. Funds generated from the levy renewal allow the district to carry out important projects such as roof repairs, system replacements and paving. In 2019, the district replaced outdated trailers with permanent classroom structures. Three years ago, the district prevented the need for a costly multimillion dollar roof replacement by patching the roof on its main building, costing $100,000. The levy has also permitted the district to repair sewage lines and other necessary infrastructure. "It is those type things for just maintenance, let alone anything new, that this levy as well as our other levies on things help us to be able to do," Golden said. "It's not just about all the extra money to do new things. It's extra money to maintain what we currently have without having to ask the taxpayers for any new money." If renewed, the district plans to address the costs for facility maintenance such as replacing outdated facilities and parking lots, Golden said. Future projects include resurfacing the front driveway, which hasn't been completed since 2014, and addressing the asphalt located in the back of the district that hasn't been updated in over 20 years. "We're hoping to get both of those done this summer," Golden said. "These types of activities that go on every year with an older facility that are going to be continuous items for us every year, this levy helps us pay for that. We're able to work within what we're already given to be able to manage our operations and then add little things here and there as our trends and our strategic plan call for." The levy also helps in covering expenses for essential school services, including transportation. Spending roughly one-third of the levy's value, the district recently used $140,000 on a new bus. The renewal allows the district to plan for long-term investments, Golden said. In the next 12-15 years, the district's gymnasium floor will need to be replaced, costing around $200,000, he said. Although this renovation is still years away, unexpected maintenance repairs such as pipes bursting or roofs leaking could result in a quicker turnaround time for these investments. The district's finances are available for view on the school's website, including its five-year forecast and monthly summaries.