SOUTH WAYNE - Unofficial results show the Black Hawk School District has secured its $500,000 referendum by nearly 200 votes in the spring election Tuesday.
Superintendent Willy Chambers said he was glad to see the support from voters.
"I'm very happy the community supported what the kids need," Chambers said, noting the school board "will get to work doing what it said it would" when asking for the referendum.
A total of 442 yes votes outweighed 253 no votes on the April 3 ballot. The affirmation allows the school district to borrow $100,000 each year over the next five years to pay for projects to improve school infrastructure.
Work includes replacement of the gym floor and bleachers, fixing eight sections of the school roof, repairing a portion of the school parking lot, replacing roughly 200 hallway lockers and seal-coating the track.
The referendum was a request by the district to its residents to increase taxes. Chambers said the rate would go up about 6 percent based on 2017-18 financial numbers. For the owner of a $100,000 house, the annual school tax amount will increase by $55.34. With the approval of the referendum, the tax rate will increase from $8.80 to $9.39 per $1,000 of home value.
Replacement of the gym floor and bleachers was necessary because the current materials were installed when the gym was built and have been used by decades of students since 1964. Parts of the roof have been identified by professionals as in need of replacement because they are flat.
The last time Black Hawk had a referendum approved was in June 2007 for three years. It was a vote to maintain educational programs.
Superintendent Willy Chambers said he was glad to see the support from voters.
"I'm very happy the community supported what the kids need," Chambers said, noting the school board "will get to work doing what it said it would" when asking for the referendum.
A total of 442 yes votes outweighed 253 no votes on the April 3 ballot. The affirmation allows the school district to borrow $100,000 each year over the next five years to pay for projects to improve school infrastructure.
Work includes replacement of the gym floor and bleachers, fixing eight sections of the school roof, repairing a portion of the school parking lot, replacing roughly 200 hallway lockers and seal-coating the track.
The referendum was a request by the district to its residents to increase taxes. Chambers said the rate would go up about 6 percent based on 2017-18 financial numbers. For the owner of a $100,000 house, the annual school tax amount will increase by $55.34. With the approval of the referendum, the tax rate will increase from $8.80 to $9.39 per $1,000 of home value.
Replacement of the gym floor and bleachers was necessary because the current materials were installed when the gym was built and have been used by decades of students since 1964. Parts of the roof have been identified by professionals as in need of replacement because they are flat.
The last time Black Hawk had a referendum approved was in June 2007 for three years. It was a vote to maintain educational programs.