Replay of meeting on CSi TV 10 – The Replay Channel . . .  Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown Public School Board, Monday evening approved a Resolution calling for a special election for $19 million in general obligation school building bonds.

Jmst public schoolsThe purpose is for school construction and renovations at public elementary and middle schools.

The board agreed to request that the county call a special election for September 29, 2015.

If approved, the Resolution would continue the 21.4 mills currently levied to help pay for building Jamestown High School and remodeling Jamestown Middle School that will expire this year and add another 3.71 mills.

Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent Robert Lech said that based on the proposed 25.11-mill calculation, based on per $100,000 in property value there would be a roughly $19 a year property tax increase beyond what is currently levied.

If the voters defeat the referendum, 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.

19Avepaving219th Ave NE: The school board also approved paying up to $149,000 for half the cost of building the 19th Avenue Northeast road to 13th Street Southeast between Jamestown High School and two apartment buildings of a proposed six-building, 800-unit complex by Skywatch Jamestown-Marjo LLC, in addition to $160,000 for an arterial road connecting with the avenue.

Photo is approximate location of 19th Av NE in red and connecting road (solid blue line) . Approximate location of proposed TRAC facility is outlined with blue dashs, per the Interstate drawings provided at the meeting.  No roadway connection from TRAC to High School is included in this proposed project.

Elementary Renovations: The board voted 8-0 on a phased approach to renovating elementary schools based on reviews of three concept-facility assessments in June. The $19 million in general obligation funds includes an addition to Louis L’Amour Elementary and upgrades to Gussner, Roosevelt and Lincoln elementary schools. It also “decommissions” Washington school.

Lech said at this time the future of Washington School was not known, and  would be dealt with as the project progresses.

The plan also includes added or improved heating and air conditioning systems to Gussner, Roosevelt and Lincoln elementary schools and to Jamestown Middle School.

A phased process allows a more complete renovation with additional classrooms added to Gussner in the future, as demographic trends dictate the need.   This phase one approach completes half of those goals.

The preliminary concept triples Louis L’Amour Elementary’s building’s capacity with a new academic wing and a services center. It replaces playground equipment and could possibly add more parking.

A demographic study showed that Jamestown Public Schools would have 1,070 students in grades K-5 in five years. The phase one plan provides capacity for 1,080 students and meets the goals of the projected population, he said.

The current K-12 Jamestown public school system enrollment is near 2,200 students. The elementary schools are exceeding capacity, while the middle school will reach it by the 2019-2020 school year.

K-12 enrollment is expected to increase to 2,300 over five years, according to the demographic study. The largest growth in classes in the 2014-2015 academic year were in the lower grade school, while the slowest growth and drops in growth to the next grade were in middle and high school level.

The meeting was recorded by CSi 10 THE REPLAY CHANNEL  with replays starting Tuesday.