School board sets speciallevy request

The Wahkiakum School District board of directors voted Tuesday to ask voters to approve a $927,000 special levy next February.

The levy would replace a four-year special levy that is expiring.

School districts ask voters to approve special levies to cover expenses not covered by state or federal sources. These include, but are not limited to:

--salaries and benefits for coaches and advisors of extracurricular activities;

--transportation for field trips and extracurricular activities;

--vocational education programs;

--upgrades for technology and curriculum;

--non-employee related costs;

--a share of employee health insurance premiums;

--food service programs,

--staff not funded by state and federal programs, and

--repair and maintenance of facilities.

The levy which is expiring started at $717,000 and was increased $20,000 a year to total $777,000. The initial assessment was $2.51 per $1,000 of assessed property value; the current assessment is $2.09.

Directors set the new levy request at $927,000 and want to increase it $20,000 per year. The initial assessment would be around $2.49, said Superintendent Bob Garrett.

Directors cited a long list of building needs as the reason for increasing the levy request.

District Maintenance Supervisor Bob McClintock has presented a list of maintenance needs that have been deferred. The high school, which was built in 1962, needs $401,934 in roof work, $404,385 in work to the exterior and grounds, and $410,569 in improvements to the interior.

"The board decided last year not to ask for a bond for a remodel because of the poor economy," Garrett reminded the directors. "But there are issues to be addressed. There were four requests yesterday for roof leaks."

Director Willy Johnson, who is retiring after eight years on the board and who sat in his last meeting as a director, suggested increasing the levy amount to cover at least some of the maintenance needs.

"Maybe if we show it's for maintenance, maybe they (voters) will see that we're trying to save money in the long run," Johnson said.