What is included in the proposed project solution? 

• Kitchen Renovation and Relocation - Our current kitchen needs to have air gaps installed to be up to code with the health department, and there are concerns about the long term viability of the fifty year old plumbing under the current kitchen. It has fifty years of grease that has accumulated and it has collapsed in one area already. The option preferred by the school board and community steering committee would be to move the kitchen to the current locker room and stage area of the 1976 small gym.

• Classroom Space Renovation - Addition of three classrooms to be located in the present cafeteria and kitchen space. We need to add space because of the addition of the JAG program funded through the United Way. Also the screen printing equipment obtained through the reVision Grant needs a permanent location to be housed. This classroom would allow for the creation of a MakerSpace for the Market 67 group to use, and also as a space for hands-on science experiments for the entire Elementary. Finally, the sensory room that is currently located behind the stage in the small gym would be displaced by the kitchen relocation. 

• Auxiliary Gym - A third gym would be constructed off of the Elementary hallway on the southside of Centennial. This auxiliary gym would not be another competition gym, but would be a smaller gym designed to be an effective place for practices. The design would include some seating on one side for lower level youth events. 

• Bus Barn the building committee and the steering committee discussed the need to move the bus barn down to the Centennial School site. A bus barn with enough bays to fit our small vehicles and some of our newest buses would be built on the Centennial campus. 

Why is this bond being considered now? 

• The Building Committee has been working on solutions for what to do with the old school and bus barn for many years now. After years of study, the group has come to the consensus that the most efficient option is to replace the gym with an auxiliary gym on site and bring the busing service down to Centennial as well. The health department has been patient with the school district in the kitchen as well, because they know we are considering renovations of the space. However, it is now at the point that we need to fix the issues in the kitchen. This year we are completely out of classroom space. We have our health classes operating off of a mobile cart so they can move to available classrooms. We are renovating an old locker room area as a temporary space to install the screen printer. This proposed project would allow for these classes to have a dedicated space. 

• The final full payment on the 2007 bond was levied for last fall, so the timing of this project would allow these improvements to be made without increasing the tax asking for the bond fund. The payments would remain consistent with what they have been. 

How will the bond impact my taxes? 

• Tax asking for the bond fund would remain unchanged. The goal of the school board has been to take on these building needs without increasing taxes through the bond fund. Our current payment servicing the 2007 bond will be paid off completely, and this new bond would be structured to keep the payment the same. 

• Payments on the new bond would be structured to keep the payments the same so taxpayers would not see an overall tax increase on total bond payments. 

• Bond would be repaid over the next twenty years, and the payments would remain the same total cost for this entire length of time. They possibly could be decreased slightly in the future if the bonds are refinanced when rates decrease. 

What was the process to determine this project and were other options considered? 

• The school board and the board building committee have been studying these projects for several years. We have worked with people from our communities, Seward County Economic Development Staff, Architects, and people from the Brownfields program. Through these discussions we have covered a wide range of possibilities, but we narrowed the focus down to these four areas. These areas are the biggest needs we have as a district and based on fiscal estimates we believe they can be improved upon without asking for an increase in taxes into the Bond Fund. 

What will happen to the old school building in Utica? 

• Although no firm decisions have been made, if a bond were to pass there is a chance the old school building would be demolished, and the transportation building would be sold and moved off of the property. The board would then likely look to sell the property to developers. The goal would be that the sale price on this property would at least cover the demolition costs that the district would incur. 

What happens if the bond doesn’t pass? 

• If the bond doesn’t pass, we will still have to move forward with portions of this project. The kitchen plumbing will need to be fixed. This would have to be absorbed through the special building fund. We likely would have to stay in the current kitchen space and repair the plumbing issues as best as we can. The board would have to make a decision about continuing to maintain the old school building, so we don’t lose access to the gym space that the school currently uses. The board could choose to levy into the special building fund to raise funds to renovate the current cafeteria space into two classrooms. 

Why is an auxiliary gym needed? 

• Auxiliary Gym - Centennial has utilized three full size gyms since the school addition in 2015. This includes using the gym at the old school site in Utica. The gym in Utica is coming to a point where it needs some significant work done if it is going to continue to be used. The HVAC system is over 22 years old and will need to be replaced soon. The roof no longer drains properly as areas have settled over the years. There are drains in the roof, but they are not the low point on the roof so water sits on the building until it evaporates. This is not to mention the windows that have been hailed out and not replaced yet and the ADA work and asbestos abatement that would need to be done if we made changes to the building. The estimated cost to make the old school building function long term would be at least $2,000,000. The board and steering committee believe it would be more fiscally responsible to construct an auxiliary gym for practices at Centennial. The gym could be used for PE and indoor recess during the day and would be used for MS and HS practices outside of the school day. 

How many gyms do other area schools have? 

• The majority of schools our size have three gyms available. We looked at fourteen schools in our immediate area and in our conference. Ten of the schools either have three gyms or they have access to a third gym that is owned by the community for practices and youth activities. Those schools that have two gyms tend to have early and late practices, or morning practices consistently. 

Does the bond issue install field turf on the football field? 

• No, this bond does not include any improvements or renovations to the football field. This spring the board approved installing sprinklers and reshaping the crown of the football field. The field will be a grass field for many years to come. We will not be installing field turf. 

How long will the construction process take? 

• The estimate would be that from the time the bond passes through the end of construction would be around 16-18 months. Active construction would last a little over a year, and the early months in this estimate would be the design phase. 

Who is eligible to vote in the Centennial Bond Election? 

• All registered voters that live in the Centennial School District, whether you own or rent, are eligible to vote in this election. If you have questions please contact the election officials office in your county. Contact information for all counties can be found at this link. 

How many years will it take for the district to repay the bonds? 

• The proposed bond will be repaid over twenty years. The existing bond for the 2015 Science, Ag, Woodshop and gym addition will be fully repaid in 2033.