The $7 Million Question

The Superior Elementary gym was nearly filled to capacity on Jan. 15 for the second public information meeting regarding the proposed mill levy increase to fund a multi-event community center in Superior.

Votes will be tallied on Jan. 28 for the levy increase, which if passed will raise the levy for homeowners in the Superior School District for an estimated 20 years in order to raise the $7 million needed to build the center.

“The vision is to develop a facility that provides access to year-round affordable, accessible health, sports, wellness and recreational opportunities,” Superior Superintendent Wayne Stanley said. “Joining forces with local agencies we are trying to get together with a common goal of a better Superior.”

The vision for the project began in the school board four-years ago and Stanley said they polled community members two-years ago to determine the needs of the community – the poll resulted in the initial design for the center and led the school board to go forward with the levy vote.

If passed, Stanley estimated they will break ground on the facility this July in hopes of opening as early as spring of 2014.

Stanley went over a variety of grants that will be applied for if the levy passes. These grants would reduce the amount of time the levy increase would be in effect, but Stanley added in order to receive the grants the initial levy must be passed.

“In the process of applying for most of those grants you have to have funding in place,” Stanley said. “They want to see funding in hand so you can go forward with the project.”

Stanley added the goal is to try to reduce the cost as much as possible through grant funding.

“But to come to the public, you have to know that worst-case scenario this could cost us seven million,” Stanley said. “I feel very confident the options are out there but I can’t stand before you and guarantee those funds will be out there.”

After the center is completed, Stanley said they have estimated the operational costs will be around $120,000 a year and could generate as much as $150,000 a year in revenue through programs such as medical rehabilitation in the pool as well as the user fees for using the pool.

“The more you use it, the more it comes around,” Stanley said of the amount of revenue that could be generated. “Is now the time to invest in our community? That is something you have to decide as far as the outcome of our community – is this where we look to invest.”

Stanley concluded speaking and opened the discussion up for questions and answers. Former House District 14 Representative Gordon Hendrick was on hand to moderate the hour-long session.

The first question from the audience was with regards to how the school board came up with the $7 million figure for the facility.

“We worked with Jackson Contracting on cost estimating, and they did this at no cost to the school district,” Stanley said. “When the board went to it we said $7 million is where the cap is.”

Stanley added that bids would go out if the levy passed and if those bids all came back over $7 million they would make cuts to bring the cost down.

“You can’t go over the $7 million, this is the max,” Stanley said.

After Stanley finished his answer another member of the audience made a statement that he had already voted no on the levy because building a “Taj Mahal” would not bring in jobs. Before taking his seat he encouraged everyone in attendance to also vote no on the measure.  

Lance Jasper addressed the audience and Stanley, saying a tax increase is “difficult for anyone to swallow” but “no one can dispute the fact that what you put into your children pays benefits.”

Jasper then asked Stanley what sort of projections went into the estimated operating cost and whether or not there would be another levy proposed if the cost of operations for the facility exceeded the amount of revenue generated.

“The projections are coming from simulations,” Stanley said. “I feel very confident in those numbers. The biggest hurdle I see isn’t so much getting people to come, it’s having your doctors and PA’s prescribe those things (pool rehab) and that’s just through my own experiences.”

Another member of the audience asked Stanley what the projected revenue from the facility would be, saying that the information could be a “good selling point” when it came time to vote on the levy.

“Your ultimate goal is to try to keep it as affordable as possible,” Stanley said. “If you are projecting $120,000 a year for operation and $150,000 for revenue, yes you are $30,000 to the good. But I think as a group that operating board (Community Center Board which would be created if the levy passes) will have to say we need to keep the fees as minimal as possible. Can you build a small nest egg? That’s the business plan, you want to have a buffer zone.”

Stanley added he couldn’t guarantee 100 percent of the community would use the facility but said the more people got used to the system and the facility, the more it would be used.

More questions regarding the specifics of the facility were asked by various members of the public before Hendrick concluded the question and answer session.

There will be one more public information meeting, with another opportunity for questions, tonight at 7 pm in the Superior Elementary Gym.