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"Education as a Lifestyle"
TRACY, MN – August 9, 2022
On Tuesday, August 9, 2022, voters in the Tracy Area Public School District approved a single-question bond referendum in the amount of $7,565,000. Following the vote, the unofficial election results are: 572 YES (67%) and 277 NO (33%).
“I am very pleased with the number of community members that turned out to vote and support Tracy Area Public Schools. TAPS is the hub of our close-knit community and the support by the voters solidifies the importance our community places on our schools,” shared TAPS Superintendent Chad Anderson.
Approval of the referendum question allows the district to focus on the replacement and upgrading of building systems needed to support a safe and efficient educational environment for students and staff.
Anderson continued, “We will now be able to invest the time and resources into our facilities to ensure we continue to provide a safe and healthy place for our students to learn. Thank you to all the community members who voted!”
Next steps include continued engineering work and bid specifications with project partner SitelogIQ through the fall.
The district will continue to keep the community informed on the progress of the current and future building projects.
The Tracy Area Public School Board, along with the District’s administration and facilities team, reviewed all of the findings from a comprehensive facility assessment and prioritized all of the identified needs during a series of several workshops.
The bond project is primarily focused on replacement and upgrading of the building systems and takes fiscal advantage of being completed with other already scheduled infrastructure projects.
HIGH SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• Upgrade the main electrical service and distribution systems in order to meet power requirements of new ventilation equipment and classroom technology needs and meet current electric codes.
HIGH SCHOOL
• Industrial tech heating and ventilation improvements, including replacing original equipment from 1968.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• Add additional electrical outlets to meet technology needs.
KID’S WORLD - EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
• Replace exterior metal panels to address moisture issues and protect building infrastructure.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
• Like our homes, routine replacement and upgrading of building systems and infrastructure helps protect our investment. Our buildings are over 50 years old and still have original systems that need replacing or upgrading. Costs are always higher when there are system failures needing emergency replacement. Some of the proposed upgrades also provide energy efficiency which reduces building operating costs and frees money for student and staff needs. Responsible planning allows this work to be completed with the highest value and return on investment.HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS
• Although most of this work is behind walls and above ceilings, it does have a direct impact on our students and staff. Advances in technology and improved air quality can result in students and staff being more present physically and emotionally helping reduce absenteeism. Replacing original HVAC equipment will provide fresh air circulation, filtering and temperature control we currently struggle with. Electrical distribution and upgrades will better allow technology and equipment to be used in our classrooms that didn’t exist when the buildings were designed.PROJECT EFFICIENCIES
• The State of MN authorizes school boards to complete certain infrastructure projects without a referendum to address critical needs, referred to as Long-Term Facilities Maintenance (LTFM) projects. The School Board has elected to use this authorization to address HVAC and building systems concerns in our schools. With contractors already on site and project areas already accessible (walls and ceilings opened up), the Board recognized that there was an opportunity to efficiently address additional critical projects at a lesser overall cost by placing this referendum on the ballot at this time.
AG2SCHOOL TAX CREDIT
• This tax credit reduces the burden for agricultural property owners on existing and future school bonds.AGE OF OUR BUILDINGS
• Our High School was built in 1968 and is 53 years old.
REFERENDUM OPEN HOUSE
Monday, August 1
5:30 - 8pm
at the High School - Door #1
CONTACT
Chad Anderson, Superintendent
andersonc@tracy.k12.mn.us
507-629-5500
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