School board asks city for $2.5M
The Whitefish School District Board of
Trustees is asking city council to up the amount of TIF money
they’re willing to put toward lowering a bond request to build a
new $19 million high school. Instead of the $1.75 million first
suggested by city council, the school district would like to see a
$2.5 million commitment.
Their aim, board chairwoman Pat Jarvi
said, is to get the bond request down to $14 million.
“We think we stand a much better chance
of passing a bond if we get that figure down to $14 million,” Jarvi
said.
At a special meeting on Dec. 16 the
board voted to direct district superintendent Kate Orozco to send a
letter to the city regarding the $2.5 million request.
In the letter she wrote, “In a previous
straw poll on Nov. 7, the council unanimously supported committing
funds to the project at the level of $1.75 million, which was the
combination of a $1 million upfront commitment related to the
passage of a school bond plus a $750,000 challenge grant offered in
an effort to encourage private fundraising.
“Since that time, private fundraising
efforts were commenced and generated significant feedback from
consistent local donors indicating they require the city to make a
commitment, prior to contributing any private funds.”
She said the proposed bond amount of
$15 million needs to be reduced to $14 million to demonstrate
fiscal restraint. The school will also put $1 million of their own
TIF funds toward lowering the bond.
City Manager Chuck Stearns said city
council will review the request at the next meeting in January. The
mayor, however, could call a special meeting before then.
New council members John Anderson,
Richard Hildner and Frank Sweeney will officially take their seat
at the next regular meeting, while current councilor John Muhlfeld
will be sworn in as mayor.
Each of the incoming councilors said
during the election they support the high school bond, but have not
put a dollar amount on how much they think the city should
give.
Outgoing councilor Turner Askew, who
initiated the idea of city support for the high school bond, said
he will encourage the new council to consider the school board’s
request for more money.
Some city councilors at the regular
Dec. 5 meeting said the city shouldn’t set a maximum on how much
the city will put toward lowering the bond.
Councilor Bill Kahle said he wasn’t
comfortable with pinning down a set figure. The $1.75 million
option, he said, was a minimum, not the maximum he’d consider.
Councilor Phil Mitchell said he didn’t
agree with the $1.75 million option and that the city should look
to give more.
Councilor Chris Hyatt noted that it
could be difficult to find private donations to back the bond.
“I look at three very gifted
fundraisers who finally got the auditorium done,” he said,
referring to the number of years it took to pay for the Whitefish
Middle School auditorium remodel.
To help reach the $14 to $15 million
mark, the school district said they would put $1 million from the
TIF money they already receive toward furnishing a new school. They
also said they are looking at raising $500,000 in private funds to
build a performing arts area proposed for the new school.
A reported $1 million pledge from the
Iron Horse Foundation may not happen, Jarvi said, and isn’t being
factored into their calculations for a bond request.
At the school board meeting last week
the board voted to use mail-in ballots. Trustee Charlie Abell was
the lone dissenting vote.
The school board will vote in January
to set the final bond amount.