The current USD 379 bond will be paid off in September of 2026, which sits around six mills, Nelson said. (On the average property taxes listed above, it’s $112, or about $9 per month.)
The School Board is looking at the idea of a bond election in March of 2026, which would not exceed the current mill rate, Nelson said, creating a “tax-neutral bond.”
In other words, property owners pay the same rate they are currently paying.
Nelson said the district has gone revenue-neutral the past two years. However, doing that has meant pulling funds from the capital outlay plan and deferring important maintenance. There are roofs that leak, rebar exposed in parking lots, and safety issues that need addressed. However, the district has lacked the funds to take on those more expensive projects.
“If districts our size aren’t willing to fund these special elections every 10-15 years, it would be impossible to upkeep high-quality facilities for kids,” Nelson said.
“We cannot fund a $2 million parking lot or a $1 million roof. We can keep up with a lot of deferred maintenance but we simply can’t keep up with the big projects.”
In addition, Nelson said passing the bond would set the district up for maintenance for the next 20 years.
“It’s not bright and shiny, but it takes care of the most important maintenance things; it will improve security and upkeep and take care of those big-ticket items to set up our school district for the next 20 years.”
The Board outlined four main focus points of the potential bond, including:
1) Safety and Security Enhancements: safe and secure entrances, camera upgrades, ADA compliance, fire alarms, intercoms, etc.
2) Preservation of Core Facilities: exterior envelops, roofing, HVAC, plumbing, parking lots, modernized learning spaces
3) Long-Term Efficiency & Facility Optimization: consolidate Clay Center facilities (several options at streamlining finances/potential elimination of a location, removing mobile unit classrooms), optimize facilities for staffing needs and community access
4) Community Focused Sustainable Planning: modern, safe, and ADA-accessible playgrounds, more efficient and accessible traffic flow options
Ultimately, Nelson wants the public to know that a bond issue would not raise taxes.
