VALPARAISO -- Valparaiso Community Schools won’t set May 2015 as the time to pursue two referendums to make up for lost funding and to make necessary building improvements.
The School Board didn’t vote on a referendum date at Thursday night’s meeting, but the members were in general agreement that plans Superintendent Ric Frataccia presented will take too much time to study and get input on to reasonably make that date.
The two possible referendums are still in planning stages, but Frataccia got specific with estimated costs and three possible plans for improvement of buildings.
One plan for the building improvement referendum includes a new high school and another includes selling off Central Elementary School, while a third suggests closing Hayes-Leonard Elementary.
The last two plans, one developed by resident Norman Helmers, include building a new school south of U.S. 30.
Costs range from more than $219 million for the new high school plan to $105 million to $114 million for Helmer’s plan, not including another 25 percent for architectural, legal and bond financing costs.
Frataccia based his cost estimates on rough estimates from architects.
The second referendum is a definite dollar amount -- $4.41 million annually -- and would last seven years, putting money in the General Fund depleted by the Indiana’s move to fund it through state sales tax.
The switch in funding from local property taxes, begun in 2008, meant a loss of about $4.5 million to the district, which led to layoffs and cuts.
“We do recover some of the things we’ve lost, but we are gaining some things,” Frataccia said.
However, none of them are luxuries.
“This is not a wish list. Neither are the buildings,” Frataccia said.
During October, four citizen’s committees led by Frataccia and Assistant Superintendent Julie Lauck will consider the plans and what parts are most viable, not based on cost.
The Board canceled its October plan meeting so that the two would have more time to meet with the committees, which will look at secondary education needs, elementary education needs, operations and finances.
Board President Mark Maassel said that the district is still open to having other residents submit plans.
However, he wants plans with dollar amounts, similar to those presented Thursday and possibly based on those dollar amounts.
Plans for both referendums are based on a Venn diagram list of improvements that former Superintendent Mike Berta presented in April.