Adna voters will have a chance to weigh in on whether to support a levy for infrastructure and building upgrades at their two local schools in the upcoming April ballot.
A proposed three-year, $600,000 levy would go toward repairing the roof at Adna Elementary School, as well as upgrading the school’s fire alarm system, first-year Adna superintendent Jim Forrest said. A resolution to put the levy, which would cost 54 cents per $1,000 in assessed value, on the ballot passed at the Feb. 1 meeting of the Adna School Board.
Forrest acknowledged a need to re-roof the elementary school, which he said had been a “persistent problem” in the past. If the levy passes, minor roof repairs would also be made to Adna Middle/High School, and staff would be able to upgrade technology and communications services.
“We just didn’t think running a bond and committing to 25 years was the best option in this case,” Forrest said. “A levy would enable us to fix up what we need to fix up, and get done what we need to get done for the foreseeable future.”
The Adna School District’s current project, the construction of Pirate Nation Stadium — the new football stadium and track that replace “The Hill” on Dieckman Road — is being built using $300,000 of the district’s current capital project funds, matched by a $300,000 grant from TransAlta.
In both 2006 and 2007, a $7.2 million bond that would have funded construction of additional classrooms at Adna Elementary School and a science laboratory in the middle school wing of Adna Middle-High School was turned down by voters. That bond also would have built a second gymnasium and performing arts center, as well as a new football stadium and track and field complex, at the middle-high school. Another subsequent bond which essentially split the academic and athletic facilities was also voted down.
Forrest said he hopes for a better outcome this April, and he could be aided by the fact levies require a simple majority to pass rather than a full 60 percent for a bond issue.
“It’s pretty no-frills, just fixing things that can’t wait much longer,” Forrest said.
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Christopher Brewer: (360) 807-8235
