Jamestown (CSi) Jamestown residents attending the Jamestown Public Schools bond proposal numbered around 30, at Jamestown Middle School on Wednesday evening. The bond proposal that will decided by Jamestown Public School District voters on September 29, 2015.

The Jamestown Public School Board has approved a special election for $19 million in general obligation school-building bonds for construction and renovations at the elementary and middle schools.

Audience members said they were curious as to why Washington Elementary School would be decommissioned rather than expanded. Lech said the school, which was built in 1929, would be the hardest to renovate and there is no additional land around the school on which to expand.

Emma Mickelson, who is a teacher at Washington Elementary, said Gussner Elementary School had tried a non-traditional classroom setup by getting rid of some walls and had a large space with multiple classrooms in it. They wound up putting the walls back in. Mickelson asked how would these flexible spaces work and will teachers receive training on how to use this space.

Christopher Gibb, principal of DLR Group, the firm that conducted a facility study that the bond proposal is based on, said how that space will be used comes down to how the staff wants to use it.

Superintendent Rob Lech said Washington Elementary School has $4.7 million in deferred maintenance that should be done on it, and none of that work would address capacity issues at the school.

Some of the work that will take place in the elementary schools will include the creation of flexible learning spaces.

Lech said September 29th referendum would have to be approved by 60 percent of voters who vote in the election.

If approved, the proposal would continue 21.4 mills currently levied that helped pay for building Jamestown High School and remodeling Jamestown Middle School. The proposal would add another 3.71 mills to the current levy of 21.4 mills.

The property tax impact on a house valued at $100,000 would be $16.70 per year more than the approximate $96 currently being paid. If voters turn down the proposal, then the current 21.4 mill levy drops off and property owners would see an approximate $96 annual reduction in property taxes, according to Robert Lech, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent.

The next community forum will be at 7 p.m. September 17, 2015 in the at the Jamestown Middle School, Thompson Community Room.