Special levy election ballots in the mail

Voters in the Wahkiakum and Naselle/Grays River Valley school districts will soon find election ballots in their mail.

The boards of directors of each district are asking voters to renew special levies which they use to cover program expenses not covered by state and federal funding.

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:

--repair and maintenance of facilities;

--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, and

--staff not funded by state and federal programs.

Wahkiakum levy request

The Wahkiakum School District board of directors is asking voters to approve a four-year levy to replace a four-year levy that is expiring

The requested levy would collect $927,000 the first year and increase to $947 the second year, $967,000 the third year and $987,000 the fourth.

The estimated tax rate would the $2.49 per $1,000 of assessed property value. According to Superintendent Bob Garrett, that would be $149.40 on a $60,000 home, $199.20 on a $80,000 home, and to $249.00 on a $100,000 home.

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 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.

"Our requested amounts are somewhat higher than those over the past four years," Garrett said in an information statement being mailed to the public.

"The increase is primarily due to the fact that our high school building is over 40 plus years old, and the board has decided not to request a bond issue for a major remodel. That means that we must include a significant dollar amount in the replacement levy to keep all of our buildings, but primarily the high school, safe and well maintained. Our replacement levy amount includes at a minimum, $100,000 per year for major maintenance."

Naselle/Grays River levy request

The Naselle/Grays River Valley School District Board of Directors is asking voters to approve a two-year, $695,000 special levy.

The estimated assessment would be $3.24 for each $1,000 of assessed property value.

The district's voters previously approved a $611,000 levy with an assessment of $2.90 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

"There are no extraordinary maintenance projects planned that would be funded by levy dollars," Jon Tienhaara, district business manager.

"The levy helps the school district fund general maintenance and operations such as extra-curricular, technology, curriculum, professional development, etc. The state is expected to make cuts to our funding. If the governor’s budget was implemented, we would stand to lose all levy equalization, I-728 and K-4 enhancement funding."

Tienhaara added that levy doesn't support operation of the Naselle Youth Camp, which could be closed under some state budget proposals in the legislature.

"At this point, I cannot speculate as to what the exact impact of a youth camp closure or reduction would look like," Tienhaara said. "What I can say is that any reductions to the youth camp will impact the community as well as the school district."