TGU bond issue vote set for Dec. 12

Voters in TGU district will vote on $8.9 million school bond issue

Public meetings are scheduled tonight at the Upham Legion Hall and on Dec. 4 at the Willow City Community Hall to provide voters in the TGU school district information about an upcoming $8.9 million bond referendum vote on Dec. 12.

There will be an open house from 6:30 to 7 p.m., with the meeting to follow at 7 p.m., on both dates. Previous public meetings were held in Towner on Nov. 19 and in Granville on Nov. 26.

According to information provided by the school district, taxes would go up $77.59 annually for a residential property with a taxable valuation of $2,682 and $86.06 annually for an agricultural property with a taxable valuation of $2,795. The owner of a $100,000 house could expect to pay $130 more per year. Taxes would go up 84 cents per acre for each acre of agricultural land and 23 cents per acre for each acre of non-cropland, such as pasture land, said Superintendent Erik Sveet.There are K-12 schools in both Granville and in Towner.

If the bond issue passes, the district would turn the existing high school building in Granville into a K-12 building and would build a new addition east of the current high school. The new addition would include a secure entry, cafeteria/commons area, kitchen, fitness room, restrooms, music classroom, agricultural education shop, locker rooms, and storage areas. A new fire sprinkler system would be installed, along with a new fire alarm, master clock and intercom throughout the building. A secure main entry would be installed along with surveillance cameras throughout the building. The addition would also include LED lighting and energy efficient mechanical system.

At Towner, the district would add a new secure entrance on the west side of the building, replace the west exterior wall and windows and also include new on-street parking for visitors and accessible parking. The district would also create a new student commons area and concession stand at the Towner school, relocate four locker rooms to the first floor, relocate fitness and weight room and provide controlled community access with a separate exterior entrance, and make heating and air conditioning improvements in the gymnasium, classrooms, and corridors.

There are currently 205 students enrolled in K-12 at Towner and 126 students in K-12 at Granville, said Sveet. Some district residents have questioned the need to build a new gymnasium at Granville or have asked why the district wants to build a full gymnasium instead of a multipurpose facility. Sveet said the gymnasium at Granville was built in the 1930s and has serious issues. The school needs gymnasium facilities for physical education classes as well as for extracurricular sports, said Sveet.

According to the brochure provided by the district, TGU would also be able to take advantage of a 2 percent state loan for $10 million for the project, which would save about $1.9 million in interest. Construction costs are also competitive at the moment.

A 60 percent or greater majority approval is required for the project to pass.

If voters approve the bond issue, work would begin in the spring of 2019.

Sveet encouraged voters to attend one of the public meetings or to call his office with any questions about the proposed bond issue.