Mission school district seeks $5.2 million for updates, repairs

A new bond initiative will make its way on to the ballots this May in St. Ignatius. The Mission school district is looking for money to update and repair the Mission schools.

The initiative looks for a $5.2 million loan from Valley Bank. In order for the school district to receive these funds, voters in the school district need to cast their ballots in favor of the bond initiative. To pay back the loan, the county will levy taxes on the homes in the area. The increase will change depending upon the cost of the home. As far as tax increase goes, $100,000 homes could see an increase of $147.36 a year, $200,000 homes could see an increase of $294.72 a year, and $300,000 homes could see an increase of $442.08 a year.

Superintendent Jason Sargent said that he understand that this tax increase is going to be a sacrifice for people in the area, especially in tough times, but also believes that people will be on board because the repairs and updates are needed so badly. “We are keeping the community’s needs in mind,” Sargent said.

According to Sargent and the school district’s website, the improvements and repairs include, but aren’t limited to, new gym/multipurpose/weight room, new locker rooms for boys and girls, a new roof on the elementary school, ceiling repairs, a new air exchange system in the old gym, new bathrooms in the high school lobby, a new shop, repairs to the family and consumer science room, repairs to tables and desks, repairs to windows, repairs to the library, updates to bathrooms and existing locker rooms, tennis court replacement, bleacher repairs, expansions the music room, and updates or fixes to maintenance equipment.

Sargent would have liked $8 million in total to finish all updates and repairs, but said that asking for that much money was going to put too much of a burden on the community.

The school district also applied for multiple grants in hopes of adding additional funds to get closer to the desired $8 million mark for repairs and replacements they would like to see. The grants are from the Quality School Grant which they hope to receive $500,000 to $600,000 and from the Impact Aid Grant which they hope to receive $500,000 to $1 million.

The initial interest rate on the proposed bond initiative is 4.25 percent, but Sargent believes that it could be lowered to 2.7 or 2.8 percent after looking at similar loans given to other schools in Missoula and other nearby communities.

The loan would be a 20-year loan and according to Sargent, would allow the school district to not ask the taxpayers for any additional funds while keeping the school updated.

The area affected by the increased taxes would only be within the Mission school district which ranges from the Ninepipes area to Ravalli.