COMMITTEE SURVEY SHOWS SUPPORT
OF PROPOSED FACILITIES PLAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 5, 2012

Contact: Kathy Hanson
Director of School, Community and Media Relations
Ames Community School District
Phone: 515-268-6651
Email: kathy.hanson@ames.k12.ia.us

AMES—Feedback to the Community Facilities Committee gathered over the past two weeks indicates solid support for a bond referendum to finance improvements to five elementary schools.

To gather the feedback, each of the Committee’s members informally surveyed at least 10 District residents by asking them if they’re familiar with the Committee’s work and the Board’s proposed plan, and if they would vote yes on a plan addressing five elementary schools.

Chair Duane Reeves said the Committee’s “Ask 10” survey helped fulfill a critical mandate of its charter.

“Our role is to engage the community to find out what’s best for the District as a whole,” Reeves said.

The survey also provided an opportunity to educate District residents about the proposed plan’s initial focus on elementary schools for the April bond referendum, Board President Dan Woodin said. It helped to clarify and contrast that plan with the Board’s long-term strategies for finalizing a district-wide plan that would include improvements to the high school and its athletic fields and aquatic center most likely financed with Physical Plant and Equipment Levy and local option sales tax revenues.

Superintendent Tim Taylor said the community engagement is critical to learn which of the public’s questions need to be addressed before the Board finalizes its facilities plan and drafts language for a bond referendum slated for April 3.

A Board facilities subcommittee is working, Taylor said, to finalize financing and project phasing.

“Our goal is to stagger bond issues and construction schedules to keep the property tax impact as low and even as possible, and to minimize disruption to students,” he said.

Reeves used the community feedback at the Committee’s meeting on Monday to recalibrate the group’s consensus on the main points of the Board’s proposed facilities plan.

At this point the Committee agrees on:

• Renovating and improving Sawyer Elementary School to a three-section school with extra capacity, possibly providing for separate gymnasium, media center and cafeteria as well as additional classroom space.
• Renovating and improving Mitchell Elementary School to a two-section school with extra capacity, possibly providing for separate gymnasium, media center and cafeteria as well as additional classroom space.
• Building a new three–section elementary school with extra capacity at the Miller Avenue location.
• Building a new three–section elementary school with extra capacity on the existing Meeker Elementary School site.
• Building a new four-section elementary school with extra capacity on the existing Fellows Elementary School site.
• Phase-in of the construction projects that is sensitive to the tax increase implications for residential and commercial properties.
• Selling most vacant and unused properties the District owns.

The Committee plans to refine its recommendation and present it to the Ames Community School Board on Jan 16.

Reeves said there are several more opportunities for the public to attend information sessions at Parent Teacher Organization meetings, and at meetings of civic organizations. The schedule for these meetings is posted on the Ames Community School District website: www.ames.k12.ia.us.

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