The North Tama County Community School District located at 605 Walnut Street in Traer, Iowa. TAMA-GRUNDY PUBLISHING FILE PHOTO

TRAER, IOWA — At its Monday (June 19) meeting, the North Tama County Board of Education approved a $14.85 million bond issue question that will appear on the ballot Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

If the question receives at least 60% voter support, the district will move ahead with Phase I of its facilities master plan. It will center on a high school addition and critical upgrades, including an approximately 18,000 square-foot high addition and about a 5,600 square-foot renovation.

Specifically, the project will include an east side addition with new high school classrooms and collaboration spaces, secure entry upgrades, and a reconfiguration of the locker rooms and weight room to provide the required handicapped accessibility. The district would also pave the school’s existing gravel parking lots and perform selective maintenance – primarily electrical and HVAC repairs and system upgrades – in other areas of the building.

“While our schools have provided an excellent educational experience to generations of students, we have a series of facility needs that we must address soon,” said David R. Hill, Superintendent. By acting now, we can address these needs and ensure our district continues to provide excellent learning environments for students now and in the years to come. We look forward to continuing to engage our community around these important issues in the weeks and months leading up to election day.”

The largest estimated tax impact of the bond on a home assessed at $100,000 would be $172.73 per year, or $14.39 per month. The estimated tax impact on a typical 40-acre field of farmland would be $221.65 per year, or $18.47 per month.

It’s important to note that the Homestead Credit was changed by the 2023 Iowa Legislature. All eligible homeowners can claim $4,850 as before, but homeowners who are 65 or older will also now receive an additional $3,250 credit on their 2023 valuations–with that increasing to $6,500 credit on 2024 valuations and beyond.

Phase I would be the first of a four-phase facilities master plan to address key needs throughout the North Tama County Community School District. For more information and to view answers to frequently asked questions, please visit https://www.northtamaplanning.org