Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown Public School Board has approved a Special Election for September 29, 2015, for $19 million in general obligation school-building bonds for school construction and renovations at elementary and middle schools.

Voting takes place on

  • Tuesday September 29, 2015 from
  • 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Jamestown Civic Center west lobby
  • More information at JPS web site 

LeichRobIf approved, Superintendent Rob Lech says, the proposal would continue the 21.1 mills currently levied to help pay for building Jamestown High School and remodeling Jamestown Middle School that is slated to expire this year. The proposal would also add another 3.71 mills or roughly a $19 per-year property tax increase beyond the current levy.

If voters turn down the referendum, then the current high school levy drops off when it’s repaid in August and property owners would see an approximately $96 annual reduction in property taxes.

On Thursday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Superintendent Lech addressed some of the more frequently asked questions of residents of the Jamestown Public School District.

He pointed out that the Tuesday September 29, 2015 vote is open to eligible voters in the Jamestown Public School District.

This includes both city and rural families within the school district boundaries.

He talked about the need for air conditioning in school buildings.

He said it’s important to understand that air conditioning is not just air cooling. The process alters both the temperature and the humidity. When coupled with enhanced ventilation, an upgraded system will improve the air quality through increased oxygenation with fewer allergens. These systems enhance the learning environment for all students.

He noted that when only considering air cooling, it is not unusual to see classroom temperatures ranging from 85-95 degrees on very hot days. With continued heat, many students would begin the day with low to mid 80’s in their classrooms. Very little learning is taking place during these times due to the conditions.

He said, it’s accurate to say that there are not a significant number of days each year that see excessive heat, but context is important. For example a Roosevelt Kindergartener with an average of 5 days of excessive heat per year as an example. By the end of his/her 8th grade year, that student would have essentially lost 45 days or just over 25% of one school year. This change would help us maximize learning time.

Currently the middle school, Gussner, and Lincoln have partial air conditioning and no a/c at Roosevelt.

If voters pass the referendum on September 29th, Washington Elementary School in Northwest Jamestown will be decommissioned.

Lech said that Washington Elementary, in the short-term, will provide a level of security for any overflow beyond the school district’s expected growth. Washington Elementary would also, in the short-term, continue to house some administrative spaces, such as the after school program.

Greater discussions still needs to be held on Washington Elementary in the long-term, however, it is no longer ideal as an educational setting.

He added that an educational demongrapher would redraw the school building boundaries, should Washington School be closed.

He said, that at this time there are no plans to change the location of Ernie Gates Field, and he decommissioning of Washington Elementary would not impact the football facility.

On our show Superintendent Lech addressed,Louis L’Amour can accommodate 360 students with 2 sections of each grade level.

He said that unlike the West Fargo School District, which recently announced a $95 million referendum, or the schools in western North Dakota, the Jamestown School District is projecting a moderate growth cycle.

Because of this moderate growth, there will not be an “explosion” of new students in Jamestown, but rather a upward trend for a number of years. Because of this, the plan for Louis L’Amour needs to fit both the present need as well as the future need.

The map of the Louis L’Amour proposal shows 2 sections as well as flexible learning spaces, which are identified by the green classroom areas. The district has the ability to transition these spaces, as needed, into classrooms to accommodate future growth.

He also explained what is meant by deferred maintenance and how the school district has $45 million in deferred maintenance.

He went on to explain that facility maintenance is either considered deferred or preventative. Preventative maintenance items are things like patching the roof, annual boiler maintenance, etc. When considering deferred maintenance, the school district is looking at areas that have a life span from a usability/efficiency standpoint or facility improvements.

An example, is that at some point, the boiler at Washington　is going to need to be replaced, so it is a deferred maintenance item. 　That does not mean that the boiler is in danger of failing, but rather that the district needs to be prepared to replace the equipment in the future.

He said it shouldn’t be assumed that deferred maintenance is emergency maintenance or work that has been put off, but rather work that needs to be accounted for and be completed in the future to maintain the highest quality facilities.

He pointed out that some of the items are very basic, such as lighting changes, and others are more significant, such as boiler replacement.

He added that the school district monitors　maintenance　needs (both preventative and deferred) through the district’s building fund. For deferred maintenance, a priority list is created each year and approved by the Board of Education for summer projects. 　There are five levels (1 being the biggest needs and 5 being the lowest priority). In a typical year, the district will fund at least levels 1-3, so each year we are able to target the largest needs. 　The annual building fund budget ranges from $450,000 – $650,000.

He reminded voters that Early Voting and Absentee Voting continues at the Stutsman County Courthouse through Monday September 28, 2015.

Voting takes place on Tuesday September 29, 2015 from 7-a.m., to 7-p.m., at the Jamestown Civic Center, at the west lobby. More information at JPS web site