To the Editor:
On Thursday, May 20, there will be a referendum to allow Fairmont Area Schools to build an addition onto Five Lake Elementary to replace William Budd School. The district would move the kindergarten, first and second grades to the new addition. along with the Early Childhood Family Education and Early Childhood Special Education programs.
Budd School has major deferred maintenance issues. In addition, there is limited access to parts of the building, and most of the building does not meet today's codes. Also, the current building limits the district's ability to provide the type of instruction needed for their primary students, including inadequate number of appropriately sized kindergarten classrooms and inadequate space for classroom support programs.
The cost of the addition would be $15.4 million. The cost to make all the renovations necessary and complete the deferred maintenance on Budd and Lincoln schools would be $17 million.
If the referendum were to pass, the city of Fairmont would purchase the Budd School site from the district to build a new water treatment plant. The city is looking at this site and a portion of Cardinal Park, both owned by the district. A small portion of the current plant will remain, mainly the intake pumps. Therefore, the closer the new plant can be build to the existing plant, the better. The city has estimated that building at the Budd School site rather than at Cardinal Park will save between $750,000 and $1 million.
The cost of the new water treatment plant has been estimated at $31 million. The original part of the current plant was built over 80 years ago.
The savings to do these two projects at this time could be significant. Multiple projects in the area over the last year or so have proven that construction companies are looking for work. Bids have consistently been coming in under the estimates. Also, the interest rates on bonds are currently at very low rates. In addition to these savings, the district would realize considerable savings by not using two buildings they are currently in.
To learn how this referendum would affect your taxes, go to www.fairmont.k12.mn.us, or call the district's business office at (507) 238-4234.
We encourage you to get the facts on the issue and let your vote be counted by voting on May 20.
Gayle Hansen and the
Fairmont Area
Chamber of Commerce
board of directors