Raymond takes action to borrow $1.9 million for school repairs

By Jason Arndt

Correspondent

      Raymond School Board members voted Monday night to approve the first phase of borrowing $1.9 million to improve facility structures. The voter was taken at the board’s Feb. 24 meeting.

      Its decision was made after School Administrator Joe Dawidziak told attendees there will be direly needed repairs needed when this school year ends, including a new roof and plumbing upgrades.

      “We have had six leaks on the roof recently and we already repaired them before,” Dawidziak said. “And we have 18 inches of snow on the roof.”

      When a resident asked why the school is not having someone go up on the roof to clean off the snow, Dawidziak advised it would take considerable time for two custodians to clear the 60,000 square-foot roof.

      The first phase of loan approvals will not come as an additional cost to taxpayers, when a $135,000 debt service falls off the budget at the conclusion of the school year, the board learned.

      “That is the amount of money we can borrow without it raising resident taxes,” Dawidziak stated in response to a citizen’s question about how the district calculated the $1.9 million figure.

      Baird Financial consultant Steven Kronetzke explained the borrowing will be a 20-year repayment option, but that most of the costs will be offset by energy conservation savings.

      Raymond School has been faced with facility shortcomings and the board recently contracted with McKinstry, an energy conservation firm, to audit the entire building and come up with a priority list of areas most in dire need of upgrades.

      “The money we will receive from this new bond note will go towards fixing what we think is needed to be done now,” Dawidziak said.

      Raymond School gave residents a tour of the school facility in October during a Community Workshop.

      The district plans to hold another workshop in May to discuss the findings of the McKinstry survey.

      Dawidziak explained results of a Community Survey taken last year indicated residents were more in favor of upgrading the gym than the main office.

      Previous reports made to the board indicate the gym is not up to regulation standards and its ceiling crumbles when balls make contact.