Editor's note: After board member Derek Yarmer said he thought the community was not getting everything residents expected out of the bond projects during a school board meeting on Monday, the Hays Post asked him to elaborate with more specifics.
Yarmer responded with the following written statement via email. It is included here in its entirety.
We are using money out of the capital outlay fund (which is meant to maintain our facilities) for things that should be covered under the bond.
Looking at the bond project on the large scale:
The bond was passed for $143.5 million with the promise to completely build, equip, and furnish a new high school campus. The bond also promised to renovate, make additions to, equip, and furnish the other buildings in the district (O’Loughlin, Roosevelt, Wilson, the current Hays Middle School and the current Hays High School).
The bond money is now projected to be $164.9 million after accruing interest, collecting returns on investments, and the sales of district property. Even after the additional $21.5 million, we are spending millions of dollars out of other funds and will still not address some of the major concerns brought forward by the bond planning committee.
1. The current Hays High School is a 124,000-square-foot structure that was found to be in poor condition prior to passing the bond.
• Planned renovations through the bond are $7 million.
• The current plans don’t address the plumbing, which received a 1/5 score from the Planning Committee
• The current 5-year capital outlay plan calls for spending money in addition to the bond of:
a. $645,000 for roofing
b. $710,000 for classroom/bathroom updates
c. $500,000 for parking lot (a large new parking lot already exists there, and as a new middle school, the building will not require as many parking spots)
d. $75,000 for lockers and paint
2. The current Hays Middle School is a 102,730-square-foot structure that was found to have multiple deficiencies prior to passing the bond.
• Planned renovations through the bond are $3.8 million
• The current 5-year capital outlay plan calls for spending money in addition to the bond of:
a. $175,000 for asbestos removal
b. $260,000 for roofing
c. $175,000 for furniture
d. $660,000 for room renovation
e. $150,000 for playground relocation
3. Wilson Elementary is a 40,206-square-foot structure found to be in poor condition prior to passing the bond.
• The initial bond called for the renovation of Wilson, but currently, there are no funds allocated for the building through the bond.
• The current 5-year capital outlay plan calls for spending:
a. $1.5 million to remodel rooms
b. $150,000 for A/V renovations
c. $30,000 for tuck point
d. $500,000 for warehouse/maintenance shop
e. $160,000 for roofing
The 3-year average of expenditures from the capital outlay fund prior to starting the bond was $3.5 million per year.
Since passing the bond, we are projected to spend $6.4 million in 2024-25, $5.3 million in 2025-26, and $5.5 million in 2026-27, respectively.
It is my opinion that the school’s administration has failed to follow through on its promise to the taxpayers of USD 489 regarding its use of the bond money.
I have spoken to members of the bond planning committees, and there was supposed to be an oversight committee to make sure that the funds were being used properly.
Ron Wilson lacks the capability to effectively manage the bond project, and I believe he has poor judgment regarding spending priorities for the district.
We are spending $753,700 for a concession stand, $777,680 for digital score boards, $687,937 for tennis courts, and $66,364 for a marquee sign this year, while putting off roofing projects and classroom remodeling for years to come.
After the taxpayers graciously approved a bond which gave the administration $164.9 million to improve the school district, we are still taxing citizens at the highest rate possible and spending over $2 million more each year from the capital outlay fund than before the bond passed.
The school board is also to blame for this reckless spending by failing to provide proper oversight of the school administration, and for this I am sorry.
— Derek Yarmer,
Hays USD 489 school board member