School awaits word on safety funding

Kylie Saari — Staff Writer
FAIRMONT — In February, Fairmont Area Schools determined that many of the maintenance items included in last November’s failed referendum were too important to let go any longer.

School leaders learned that items involving indoor air quality and fire safety could qualify for the Health and Safety Bond and Levy program through the state. The program allows schools to bypass the public vote usually required to issue bonds and raise taxes.

Fairmont Area sent in a request detailing the items it needs that qualify under the program. The dollar value totals $12.6 million, an amount separate from the $9.8 million the school district is seeking in its May 29 referendum.

Items that could qualify for funding include updating ventilation systems, air conditioning, sprinklers and electrical upgrades.

Fairmont Superintendent Butch Hanson says many of the items included on the Health and Safety Bond and Levy application are closely tied to referendum items. In order to make efficient use of labor costs and building use, many of the items should be completed at the same time — something that is only possible if the referendum passes.

According to Hanson, current ventilation systems do not meet air-exchange codes, making for sub-standard air quality inside the buildings.

“A lot of the ventilation work falls under the indoor air-quality (portion of the Health and Safety program),” says Dave Ternberg, director of buildings and grounds. “But the boiler (included in the referendum) is used to heat the water and the air. It is cost effective to do both at the same time. It requires removing walls and taking out ceilings. That would have to be done twice (if the referendum doesn’t pass).”

The limited scope of use for Health and Safety program funds also is a concern.

“For example,” Hanson said, “if you have vinyl floor tile that contains asbestos, the Health and Safety (funds) will give you money to take it out, but not to replace it.”

Hanson says the cost to taxpayers if the application is approved would be about $6 per month. This is in addition to the $6.25 taxpayers would be responsible for if the referendum passes.

Although the amount of the Health and Safety bond application is higher than the referendum, the cost per month is lower “because we can wrap the debt around the current bonded debt,” Hanson said. “With the bond referendum (on May 29), we will have to sell the bonds all at once. With the Health and Safety (program), the bonds can be sold over a number of years.”

The district expects later this month to learn if its application has been accepted by the state.

“We fully expect to get it approved,” Hanson noted.

If the referendum passes and the Health and Safety application is approved, the $22.4 million the district would receive would only fix some of the items that need fixing.

“When we were analyzing everything, we came up with $40 million worth of items needing replaced,” said Hanson. “We pared it down with a ranking system. Anything that was a life or fire safety issue got a number one, and then there were numbers two and three. The number ones are what we included (in the referendum and Health and Safety Bond and Levy application).”