Facts about the Bond
There have been major renovations of the Lincoln school every twenty years since it was built. It’s been 20 years since the last renovation. The building needs attention. Despite ongoing maintenance and periodic repairs, there are some significant issues.
- The roof leaks and loses shingles in high winds.
- The heating system is failing and often requires expensive emergency repairs.
- The ventilation system has failed in parts of the building.
- Windows and siding need to be replaced.
- The temporary classroom unit needs to be replaced.
This was manufactured in 2001 and purchased used four years ago after the it was determined the basement instructional spaces and offices were unusable, it is not a permanent structure, is not well insulated and is not built to withstand Vermont winters. Replacing it will be much cheaper if done as part of the bond instead of as a separate project.
Why Repair the School?
The building committee did exhaustive research and held many public meetings to get input from the town. After considering all the possibilities, including shutting down the school, they and the school board concluded the current bond proposal is the best and most cost effective solution. These are all taxpayers who do not want to spend any more money than is absolutely necessary.
The building committee and school board found grants and federal monies to replace the boilers and interior lighting. Grants are in the works for other items, but no grant money is available for repairs.
If the bond passes:
We qualify for special federal financing at an extremely low interest rate. The nominal rate is 1% but the effective rate will be lower still, perhaps much lower. Over the life of the loan this rate will save the town over $500,000 compared to regular market rates. This rate will only be available for a short time.
If the bond doesn’t pass:
We will still have a bad roof, a failing heating system and other significant problems with the building. We will continue to need more expensive emergency repairs until we address the underlying issues. Closing the school will also not keep repairs from being needed. The building and site will need to be dealt with somehow. The bulk of the cost of the bond is for these necessary repairs.
Our school has the lowest education tax rate and the second lowest per pupil cost in the district. For the current budget year the school reduced staff, some staff had hours cut and individual budgets were reduced. We have a great school in Lincoln with a hard-working dedicated staff and award-winning teachers. Our principal was a recipient of UVM’s Outstanding Teacher award. Our students perform very well on standardized tests.
The school budget will be decided at town meeting on Monday, February 28th and the school bond vote happens the following day. Please come.
A public meeting will take place on February 21st at 7pm at the school.
Click here to see additional information about the bond from the Town Website.
Click here to see responses to a certain voter's mailings about the bond.
Other Background Information
Lincoln Community School since 1950
Costs and benefits of school consolidation
Study by the University of Vermont
Education spending in Vermont
Study by the Public Assets Institute about education spending in Vermont. The Montpelier-based public research organization's report shows that, when measured against the overall economy, education costs have been stable since the early 1990's. The report is based on statistics provided by Vermont state agencies and the federal goverment.