The North Tama Community School District’s 1917 core building pictured on Sunday, March 26. The aging structure – which currently houses mostly high school classrooms – will be replaced if a bond referendum planned for this November is approved by voters. A similar referendum failed by just six votes last March. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

TRAER – North Tama’s bond referendum is heading back to the voters this fall if all goes to plan.

During the May 15 North Tama school board meeting, board members voted on a series of motions to restart the process for placing two public measures on the ballot this coming November — measures that would allow the district to both issue general obligation bonds in order to build, furnish, and equip a new high school addition (phase one of a four-phase facilities upgrade) and levy at a higher rate to do so.

Voters failed to approve a similar measure last March by just six votes.

If the March bond had passed, phase one would have built an 18,000 sq. ft. high school addition to the east of the current building featuring new HVAC, as well as an approximately 5,600 sq. ft. renovation of the current building. Such renovations would have included security upgrades, athletic area reconfiguration to allow for better accessibility, paving of the existing back parking lot, and selective maintenance of other areas.

While the planned November referendum will essentially mirror the failed March referendum, there is one key difference – the district needs more money this time around due to rising construction costs.

“So that language is the same as it was last time around except the dollar amount was $14.25 million last time,” Superintendent David Hill told board members. “[It’s] $14.85 million this time.”

Another change is when the referendum will take place. The board had been mulling a September special election, but that option is no longer on the table, Hill said, due to recent changes by the Iowa legislature.

“There are no longer two special election dates [in Iowa] anymore. There are no longer special election dates for school bond votes anymore. It has to happen at the same time as the regular school election.”

The earliest date available now is Tuesday, November 7.

As part of the bond referendum process, the board must again receive at least 219 signatures from eligible electors on a petition asking the county auditor to place the public measures on the ballot. The board unanimously approved circulating such petitions.

The board also approved contracting with Donovan Group for communication and engagement-related services as part of the planned bond referendum. The district previously contracted with Donovan for similar help ahead of the failed March 2023 vote.

As part of his report to the board, Hill discussed holding satellite voting once again as was done in late February at Traer City Hall ahead of the March special election.

But due to recent legislative changes, satellite voting can no longer be simply agreed upon between a school district and the county auditor in Iowa, Hill said — such a request must now be made by petition which requires 100 signatures.

In addition to the sample bond referendum petitions, Hill also passed around satellite voting request petitions to his board members.

The board then later approved a change to the 2023-24 school calendar to move parent-teacher conferences that had been set for October 18-19 to coincide with satellite voting – if enough petition signatures are gathered.

Earlier in the meeting, Hill recognized members of the North Tama Board of Education as part of School Board Recognition Month. He presented an appreciation certificate to each director in attendance.

“The decisions that our board members have to make are not easy,” Hill said. “The scrutiny that they face, all the time that they put into board meetings and outside of board meetings to do what they do is truly appreciated.”

Hill went on to say that three of the current members will be up for election this fall on the same ballot as the planned bond referendum including directors David Boldt, Val Bradley, and Doug Dvorak.

The next regular meeting of the North Tama Board of Education is set for Monday, June 19, beginning at 7 p.m. in the North Tama Junior High Commons during which an update will be given on the two petitions which are now in circulation.