Palatine's D-15 Grapples with Referendum Issue
District 15 Superintendent Scott Thompson said he will recommend the district spend less than it is asking voters for.
Although a November referendum would authorize Community Consolidated School District 15 to issue up to $27 million in bonds, Superintendent Scott Thompson said a lower figure is needed.
Thompson said at Sept. 15 school board meeting that he would recommend the board issue no more than $16 million in bonds to be used solely for capital improvements, such as new roofs at schools, should the referendum pass.
The bonds have been a hot topic in District 15 for months. The consideration by the school board to issue the bonds–$17 million for capital improvements and $10 million for a working cash fund–spurred public opposition.
Thompson's recommendation essentially would drop the working cash fund portion of the bond issue and keep most of the proposed capital improvements, including replacing 11 roofs.
The cost to taxpayers would be about $15.12 more a year in property taxes for the owner of a home valued at $220,000, Thompson said.
Board member Sue Quinn, a critic of the bond issue from the beginning, said the matter will have to be revisited should voters approved the referendum.
"I think doing 11 roofs in three years is not sound planning," Quinn said, noting that the district will face having to replace all of the roofs in the future in a short time frame. "This is not a sound plan. We need to be more prudent and schedule some of these things out."
The bond issue was forced to the ballot after a petition drive led by Palatine residents. The petition drive was successful, attracting more than 7,500 signatures. The school board considered, but ultimately decided against, pulling the issue off the ballot.
In the midst of the controversy, District 15 Superintendent Daniel Lukich abruptly resigned June 30. As part of the separation agreement with the district, Lukich will be paid $185,000 through 2011.
Thompson began in July.
One of the issues critics had with the original $27 million bond issue was that it would have required District 15 to reissue existing debt, resulting in additional interest and penalties. This would have been necessary because District 15 is close to its debt limit.
Thompson said his recommendation is for a straight-forward bond issue that does not include creative financing. One reason is that such financial maneuvers no longer would be needed. Voter approval would mean that the debt limit would not apply to the new bond issue.
Thompson said his list of capital projects is being pulled from the district's 10-year life safety plan.
"These are necessary things that the district needs to take care of," Thompson said.
Thompson also said that the district would be able to take advantage of low interest rates and would use Build America Bonds, which include a rebate. The deadline to use Build America Bonds is Dec. 31.
Vicki Wilson
9:17 am on Friday, September 17, 2010
Sue Quinn is right. It is not sound planning to do 11 roofs in 3 years. The Paddock roof was leaking for YEARS before the board decided to finally fix it after parental uproar. Now, all of a suddent they need to replace 11 roofs that I have not heard one word about leakage! It's called long-term planning and Chapman and the BOE majority need to figure out how to do it.
celtic citizen
3:48 pm on Saturday, September 25, 2010
The roofs have ALL had leakage problems for YEARS, and the administration has been trying to get them fixed for the last 6 (at least), with the worst ones being done first, including Paddock. Basic capital improvements (like roof replacements) have not been made to the schools because some Board of Ed members insist on continuously sending and resending items out for contract bids and then waiting AGAIN to make repairs until lower bids come in, while school principals and custodians walk around the schools after every rain playing "Where's the leak this time?" Just because you, Vicki, have not heard about the leaks and the other parts of crumbling infrastructure in the physical plants (schools), does not erase their existence and the need to fix them. The longer the district allows its schools to fall into disrepair, the more expensive it will be to fix them.
Jennifer Mondy
9:39 am on Friday, September 17, 2010
On the ballot Tuesday, November 2, 2010, the residents of Palatine Township will be asked to vote YES or NO for the following proposal:
"Shall the Board of Education of Palatine Community Consolidated School District Number 15, Cook County, Illinois be authorized to issue $27,000,000 bonds for a working cash fund as provided for by Article 20 of the School Code?"
It is not UP TO $27M - it IS $27M for a working cash fund. The Board of Education will have the authority to issue all $27M anytime within the next three years - if the referendum is approved by the voters. Since it is designated for a working cash fund, it can be used for anything the district chooses.
Brian Slupski
10:07 am on Friday, September 17, 2010
Jennifer
The referendum does not mandate that the district issue $27 million in bonds, it grants them the authority to do so. The district could choose to issue a lower amount. This is the reason I used "up to." I plan to do another story on exactly what powers the referendum would grant the district and what could be done with the money. This story was about Scott Thompson's recommendation to the board.
Louise
10:11 pm on Saturday, September 18, 2010
There is no reason whatsoever to believe the majority on this school board will borrow something less that the full 27 million if given the chance. The majority on the board want the new funds – WORKING CASH - to pay day to day operations. Over the last 16 months this board majority approved union contracts which were clearly unaffordable because they were bought by the employees.
In 2006, the school board and administration did the same trick - refunding Capital Appreciation bonds and take out new bonds to boost working cash which went to payroll and maybe some carpet.
Chapman has a track record of borrowing and spending down reserves at 211. He is trying to repeat history.
celtic citizen
3:52 pm on Saturday, September 25, 2010
"Bought by the employees"? Exactly how much do you think they get "paid"?
(By the way, they get paid nothing, and get to suffer the slings and arrows of ignorant comments slung by misinformed people who have no idea of how great the education in this school district is, especially when compared to any other school district in the area.)
Vicki Wilson
9:49 pm on Saturday, September 25, 2010
I have been attending BOE meetings for 3 YEARS and have yet to see a long-term capital improvement plan. There wasn't one 3 years ago and there is not one today. Craig Phillips has not done any planning, Chapman has not done any planning. This is NO way to run the 3rd largest elementary district in the state. It is common sense that buildings need to be maintained. It is not rocket science. Come up with a plan, THEN ask for the money. Not the other way around.
Vicki Wilson
10:01 pm on Saturday, September 25, 2010
I fully support capital improvements for our schools. FYI... I personally spent hours talking, asking, and FOIAing to fight for capital improvements for my kids' school. What I discovered during that experience 3 YEARS ago is that there was no long-term plan for maintaing our 20 schools. It was shocking. And there STILL is not one today. If there was any kind of plan before the BOE majority decided to issue these bonds and if there was ANY guarantee that the money would only be used for necessary capital expenses, I would vote Yes. But, there is NO PLAN and THERE IS NO GUARANTEE. None whatsoever. It is common sense. But, with our BOE majority, common sense is nowhere to be found.
Vicki Wilson
10:16 pm on Saturday, September 25, 2010
Arlington Heights School District 25 spends $10,707 per pupil and my friend's kids' have class sizes of 20 students.
Palatine CCSD 15 spends $11,025.13 per pupil (from the ccsd15 web site for 08-09, it's probably even higher now) and my daughter is in a class of 30 kids this year, 29 last year.
These are the facts.
So stop telling me how great an education my kids are getting and how grateful I should be.
concerend
3:05 pm on Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Vicki,
Your children are in a class of 30 and 29 because you said no to the last referendum.
District 25 has a differnent tax bracket than ours and therefore a differnt overall population. You cannot compre districts who are not equal on every level
Vicki Wilson
10:21 pm on Saturday, September 25, 2010
And we are a much larger district, where are the economies of scale?
Louise
7:55 pm on Sunday, September 26, 2010
Celtic Citizen, Please back up you assertions with evidence. If multiple rounds of bids have gone out there would record of them. Show us. But you probably cannot because the school board has not seriously discussed more capital projects beyond those that have just complete. See Vicki for details, i.e. Lack of Plans. Craig Phillips has been in his job for years. Where are the long term plans? Even Thompson has said there are no maintenance projects that are urgent. Are we not to believe the super? Perhaps it is time to get back to the soccer field.
Ken
12:35 pm on Wednesday, November 3, 2010
We can have plenty of money for these types of programs with effective budget management.
Step 1 is to bring the public sector along with their entitlements, guarantees, pensions, healthcare, etc.....back in line with the private sector averages, and given raises according to inflation claculations or this will never end. PLEASE read the quick summary below........
This just sums it up front & center in the first 2 short paragraphs.
http://theelectoralmap.com/2010/03/01/blue-states-most-in-debt/
THEN.....if an exceptional circumstance arises where add'l funding is needed, we can talk about referendums. We simply have to equal the playing field first so that the accounting is not skewed toward irrationally high average compensation packages.