Union Community School District has placed a bond referendum before voters this fall that addresses critical facility needs, including a long-discussed new bus barn and replacement of the district greenhouse. Both projects support our broader goal of upgrading infrastructure and enhancing educational spaces for students and staff.

The need for a new bus barn has been evident for nearly 30 years. Our current facility was built for smaller buses and no longer meets the needs of today’s 77- and 84-passenger fleet. Buses extend beyond the garage doors, leaving them exposed to the elements and even animals. The shop is unable to support simple maintenance operations for our fleet and during winter months makes routine cleaning difficult. There is also no way to lock the building for security purposes and vandalism protection.

Our vision for this new transportation building is to provide a facility capable of efficiently maintaining our vehicle fleet from storage to washing and routine maintenance. A new facility will provide adequate space for vehicles, proper equipment, an indoor wash bay, climate control, and office and storage areas–all of which will extend the life of the fleet, lower long-term costs, and boost driver morale.

In addition, the referendum includes replacing the district’s greenhouse. Due to its age, the shell of the current greenhouse is no longer energy efficient, and controls are not functioning to support a greenhouse environment. A new greenhouse will provide the opportunity for students to learn greenhouse management and even grow their own plants for a school plant sale and agriscience competitions. These new opportunities for high school students will strengthen our FFA program and agricultural course offerings.

Together, these projects reflect the district’s commitment to responsible infrastructure improvements that support both daily operations and student learning. By investing in these upgrades, we are investing in the future of Union schools and the students we serve.

Maureen Hanson is vice president of the Union Community School District Board of Education and a resident of rural La Porte City.