Students and teachers at Davis Elementary are hoping to get out of the cellar.
A bond election on Tuesday will decide if the school can afford to build a new Grade 1-4 structure and replace the 42- year- old underground structure.
Superintendent Mike Martin said the $ 2.54 million bond would not only enable them to afford a new elementary building, but would also put new metal roofs on the auditorium and physical education rooms, and replace aging heating and air conditioning units at the high school.
He said the elementary school leaks after every rain, smells of mold, and has several heating and air problems.
“It’s a 42-year-old cellar,” Martin said. “There aren’t too many 42-year-old cellars that don’t leak.”
The superintendent said the aging building poses a health risk as well, a risk that hits close to home for him.
“My son’s down there, he’s a second grader,” Martin said. “Many, many parents and teachers have told me their kids are having health issues.”
Martin cited the school’s rapid growth as the most pressing reason for the needed new building. Enrollment at Davis Public Schools increased 10 percent this year alone.
“We started with a little over 900 kids and we’re past 1,000 now,” he said.
In the face of the state’s mounting budget cuts, Martin said the school has cut wherever it could without impacting the students.
“You have fixed costs, things that just have to be paid,” he said. “We’ve cut in so many areas, sometimes maintenance can fall behind.”
If the bond passes, property tax assessments will rise from 5.16 mills to 20.54 mills for 10 years. When the bond is paid off, taxes will drop back to the 2009 level. For every $100 of property taxes paid, property owners would pay an additional $18.36.
The superintendent is confident that the bond will pass, as he feels it addresses the schools’ urgent needs.
“We’re not asking for a lot of extra, unnecessary items,” Martin said. “They can see exactly where their money is going to go.”
Martin said he has never seen as much support for schools from the community as he sees in Davis.
“We could have a thumbwrestling contest and we could pack the house, if their kids were involved,” he said. “I’ve never seen a community support their young people like Davis people do.”
Phil Banker, 221-6542
