By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 bond committee decided Wednesday night to recommend building a new high school to the school board.
Ninety-five percent of committee members of about 50 on a Zoom call Wednesday said they supported the high school bond option.
In addition, the new high school option also polled highest in two unscientific polls conducted by the district.
The new high school would include a new auditorium.
The $143.5 million, bond option includes more than just a new high school. The bond would also include:
• The middle school moving into the renovated high school
• Hays Middle School being renovated into a new elementary school
• O'Loughlin and Roosevelt Elementary Schools would be renovated
• Administrative offices would be moved to Wilson
• Rockwell Administration Center and Lincoln Elementary School would be closed
As part of the renovations, any facility issues that were rated a one or two out of four on the district's facility report would be addressed.
All three of the elementary schools would be have four classrooms of every grade. Hays currently has a total of 11 classroom sections total per grade among its four schools. This project would create room for the district to grow.
Costs
The committee is set to make its recommendation to the school board at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center. The board could vote to place a bond on the ballot as soon as its meeting Feb. 7.
It will be up to the board to decide how the bond is funded. If the bond is funded only through property tax, it would cost a taxpayer $35.94 per month on a $200,000 home.
However, district officials have considered funding the project partially through a half-cent sales tax. That would drop the per month property tax bill for the bond to $21.56 per month on a $200,000 home.
Some of the members of the committee favored this option, because visitors to Hays would also help to pay for the school improvements. USD 489 would not receive any state funding for its bond as it is considered a wealthy district compared to other districts in the state.
A sales tax vote would have to be approved by both the school board and the Hays City Commission.
Seventy-eight percent of people on the Zoom call Wednesday they said cost could still be a barrier to the bond passing. However, 91 percent said they were ready to present their recommendation to board. 100 percent said they would vote for the bond issue.