Four school districts in the Des Moines metro are asking voters to approve bond measures to build new schools and pay for other renovations.
Here is a look at bond measures in Ankeny, Dallas Center-Grimes, Southeast Polk and West Des Moines, and how each would affect voters’ property taxes if approved.
Ankeny
The Ankeny Community School District would build a career and technical education hub, high school athletic centers and other additions if voters approve a $130 million bond.
An $80 million “Innovative Hub” for secondary students at the Northview Middle School campus off North Ankeny Boulevard would offer career, technical and other specialized programming, according to the district’s website.
The Hub’s planned space for 500 to 750 students, starting in the 2028-29 school year, would free up classroom space at both of Ankeny’s high schools. That and other proposed additions and upgrades would create space for future changes, including changing its grade structure to have six through eight in middle school and grades nine through 12 in high school.
New athletic performance centers at both high schools would include indoor turf and practice facilities. Fine arts facilities would receive lighting, sound and other upgrades, in addition to more instrumental and vocal classrooms. The athletic center and fine arts additions, plus related renovations and improvements including additional high school science classrooms, would cost up to $37 million.
The district also would build new turf baseball and softball fields for $6 million, and make $7 million in improvements to Ankeny Stadium.
Property taxes would not increase because of the bond if voters approve it, according to the district.
District spokesperson Samantha Aukes said the district’s debt service levy would decrease to around $0.50 if the bond measure is not approved.
But if voters do not approve the bond, the district has also said its tax rate would become “volatile and unpredictable, increasing pressure on future bonds to cover gaps” caused by more reactive maintenance and delays for needed upgrades.
Dallas Center-Grimes
The Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District would renovate its high school and middle school and build inclusive elementary school playgrounds if voters approve an $88 million bond.
Intended to address the district’s most pressing needs, the projects would be spread over four phases of a seven-year plan, according to the district’s website.
Those projects include:
Property taxes would not increase because of the bond if voters approve it, according to the district. The district’s debt service levy also would not decrease if voters don’t approve the bond, because of other debt obligations. Principal and interest amounts on a new bond would be paid for with what’s leftover after payments on other existing bonds.
Southeast Polk
The Southeast Polk Community School District would build an elementary school, move the main office of the junior high school and improve elementary school playgrounds if voters approve a $51 million bond.
The approximately $40 million elementary school would accomodate about 750 students at a yet to be determined site.
Another $7 million would go toward moving the junior high building’s main office to the west side of the building at 8325 N.E. University Ave. in Pleasant Hill to improve safety and accessibility.
And $3 million would provide pour-in-place rubber/turf surfaces at elementary school playgrounds. Improvements would vary by school, but each elementary school would get an all-inclusive playground.
The district would not need to increase taxes to pay for the projects.
And, because of other debt obligations, the district’s debt service levy would not expire if the bond issue doesn’t pass, according to spokesperson Jeannie Christenson.
West Des Moines
The West Des Moines Community School District would fund widespread improvements to classrooms and other school facilities if voters approve a $135 million bond.
Districtwide building and classroom improvements would represent the bulk of the projects, at a cost of $102 million, according to the district’s website. Those would include remodeling and repair work, including to heating, ventilation, air conditioning and plumbing systems.
The main entrance at Valley High School also would be redone to improve safety and security.
Other listed projects include:
If approved, the district’s overall property tax levy would rise $1.52, which would bring the levy to $13.74. The owner of a home valued at $300,000 would pay $17.41 more in property taxes per month and $208.92 more per year.
The district currently does not have a debt service levy, Geelan said.
And though the total costs of the projects add up to almost $160 million — about $25 million more than the bond the district is asking for — Geelan said the district would use existing available funds to cover the difference.
Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. Find out more about him online in the Register’s staff directory.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines suburban schools want voters to approve millions in bonds. What they’d buy
Reporting by Phillip Sitter, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
