Potential MLO Extension/Increase & Bond

At the August 2024 regular board meeting, the Platte Valley Board of Education voted unanimously to pass a resolution placing two questions on the November 2024 ballot: (1) a 5-year extension of our current mill levy override to recruit and retain high quality staff, and (2) an $89.5 million bond to build a new middle school, address district-wide capital expenditures related to safety and security, and extend the useful life of facility systems. The Board’s decision came about after two years of work investigating and evaluating school facilities and systems, analyzing potential options associated with the current middle school, gathering feedback through community meetings beginning in April 2023, and analyzing data obtained through community survey results showing overwhelming support for both initiatives.

Highlights of those survey results are as follows:

74% of survey respondents indicated having been aware of and knowing about the funding proposals.
81% of survey respondents indicated they would be very likely to vote yes to extend/increase the existing mill levy override (54% definitely yes and 27% probably yes).
77% of survey respondents indicated support for the proposed bond measure (52% definitely yes and 25% probably yes).

Below is information related to both potential initiatives: (1) an extension/increase of our current MLO and (2) a potential bond initiative.

Introduction to MLO Extension & Bond

An MLO provides additional operating monies for school districts. Bond measures, on the other hand, are often used for school building improvements, school additions, and/or new schools.

At the August 12, 2024 board meeting, the Platte Valley Board of Education voted to approve a resolution to place two initiatives on the November ballot. Platte Valley School District seeks to protect educational instruction and programming, provide safe and secure learning environments, and position our students for success. The District seeks to extend its current mill levy override which has been in place since 2005 and ask district voters to approve a bond measure.

Yes. If voters approved the MLO extension and bond measure, the District’s MLO would remain one of the five lowest in the state. Many neighboring districts have a total mill levy that is two to five times Platte Valley School District’s total current mill levy of 7.249 mills.

Anticipated Benefits of MLO Extension & Bond

There are many anticipated benefits, including:

Protecting our high-performing and highly sought after schools
Improving safety and security
Attracting and retaining quality teachers and staff
Reducing costly and disruptive emergency repairs
Constructing a new middle school that will serve our community for decades to come, including the facilitation of large school tournaments, Little American Royal (LAR) and other events
Extending the useful life of our elementary school and high school
Keeping our total tax levy low
Continuing to attract young families and businesses to our community
Protecting property values

MLO Extension Details

The MLO funds are used to recruit, train, and retain quality teachers and support staff. These funds also help maintain programming and keep class sizes at a 14:1 student/teacher ratio, well below the state average of 17:1. They also allow for the replacement of outdated instructional materials and technology and help preserve the music, gifted/talented, and other related programs. If approved by voters, the MLO would continue to be used for those purposes.

The estimated tax impact of the MLO is 22 cents per month per $100,000 of a home’s actual value. For non-residential taxable properties, the estimated tax impact is 95 cents per month per $100,000 of actual value. These projected tax impacts are lower than what was projected in Spring 2024. Due to the complexities of agricultural land value assessments please visit the Weld County Assessor website to learn more detailed information. These numbers are based upon updated assessed value information provided by Weld County.

Yes. The oil and gas industry would pay approximately 93% of the taxes associated with the MLO extension.

Yes. The estimated tax used in the initial surveys with the MLO assumed a 30% reduction in oil and gas valuation for 2024. The District has received updated information from Weld County indicating a likely 25% decline in oil and gas valuation. The tax impact above reflects this updated information.

Years ago, our community requested that all MLO proposals have an expiration date (a sunset). The Board of Education has continued to respect that request.

The mill levy would be in place for another 5 years and would sunset in 2030 if voters approve the extension.

More than 100 of Colorado’s 177 school districts rely on an MLO.

All funds from the MLO stay local. None of the money goes back to Denver.

The Colorado Senior Property Tax Exemption is still in place for qualified homeowners who apply.

Bond Proposal Details

Funding from the voter-approved bond measure would be used to replace the 66-year-old Platte Valley Middle School, improve safety and security districtwide, and address building improvements at both Platte Valley Elementary School and Platte Valley High School.

The aging middle school has failing sewer lines that are leaking into classrooms; water leaching into the fieldhouse; electrical capacity issues; asbestos in 40,000 sq. ft. of the building; overcrowded hallways; poorly configured classrooms and common spaces; inadequate restrooms in the fieldhouse; $3 million in roofing repairs, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning needs; and other facility challenges. While the District has worked hard to maintain the building, decades-old infrastructure is failing.

At the elementary school, facility improvements that need to be addressed include kitchen ventilation upgrades, well repair and maintenance, playground equipment repairs, gym floor refinishing, and replacement of outdated furniture and fixtures.

At the high school, facility improvements that need to be addressed include repairs and maintenance of roofing, hot water pumps, and wells; remodeling of the outdated library/media center; track resurfacing; gym refinishing; minor stadium and athletic field upgrades; and replacement of outdated furniture and fixtures.

The estimated tax impact of the proposed $89.5 million bond measure is $1.65 per month per $100,000 of a home’s actual value. For non-residential properties, the estimated tax impact is $7.06 per $100,000 of actual value. These projected tax impacts are lower than what was projected in Spring 2024. Due to the complexities of agricultural land value assessments please visit the Weld County Assessor website to learn more detailed information.

Yes. The oil and gas industry would pay approximately 93% of the taxes associated with the proposed bond measure.

Yes. The estimated tax used in the initial surveys with the MLO assumed a 30% reduction in oil and gas valuation for 2024. The District has received updated information from Weld County indicating a likely 25% decline in oil and gas valuation. The tax impact above reflects this updated information.

The Colorado Senior Property Tax Exemption is still in place for qualified homeowners who apply.

Yes. It would be less expensive to replace the middle school than to renovate it, especially given the challenges of asbestos and other issues.

If the District waits another 10 years to replace the middle school, it is estimated that rising construction costs would increase the price tag by at least $45 million. The District would also need to keep addressing costly emergency repairs if the school is not replaced. New roofing, replacement of heating and cooling units, and server upgrades are some of the most pressing building needs. Plumbing improvements are also needed, which would require removing walls and flooring and could result in the need for asbestos abatement.

The District is considering pursuing a 15-year bond issue. Like a 15-year mortgage, the District would pay principal and interest over that period. However, the bond measure could be structured such that it could be paid off early if the District’s total assessed valuation increases in the future. This is a strategy the District has successfully used in the past.

Yes. The District proposes to allocate reserves for the relocation of the information technology/central office building, design work that would accelerate the construction timeline, and for other capital facility/site improvements tied to the project that are not addressed by the proposed bond measure.

In addition to oversight through the Board of Education and District Accountability Committee, all revenues and spending associated with the voter-approved bond issue would be disclosed on the District’s website. The District would also host community meetings and provide project updates online.

Additional Middle School Details

In addition to a lower cost, there are other important reasons why replacing the middle school makes sense:

The existing middle school can stay open while the new school is built, significantly reducing disruption of programming. If a renovation were pursued, students and staff would be displaced in temporary trailers for 18 months during construction at an estimated cost of approximately $1 million. The District has heard from community members and staff the desire to avoid using temporary trailers.
After the new middle school is built, the old school would be demolished, leaving space for the athletic field and related amenities.
A new middle school would offer larger instructional spaces, labs, and commons areas plus a career and technical education workshop, a like-sized fieldhouse capable of continuing to hold the Little American Royal (LAR) event, and a districtwide, multipurpose performing arts area.
The new middle school would be much more efficient, saving taxpayer dollars.
Unlike new construction, there are many unknowns tied to renovating an old school.

The new middle school would be 23% larger than the existing school. It would be sized to serve approximately 375 students.

The new school would have a two-story commons area with lots of natural light. The school would feature a highly secure entryway, approximately 25 classrooms, three science labs, a career and technical education workshop, space for student support services, a districtwide, multipurpose performing arts area, a secure outdoor learning area, a dining area/kitchen, a library/media center/learning commons, locker rooms, and a fieldhouse with two gyms and a wrestling area. The new fieldhouse would be similar in size to the current fieldhouse and would continue to accommodate Little American Royal (LAR).

If additional design work is completed this spring and summer, the new middle school could open as soon as Fall 2026. If the decision is made not to pursue additional design work this spring and summer, the opening would be delayed by at least a year.

Yes, the middle school design includes the ability to hold all of the large events currently held in the middle school, including large middle school tournaments, large pee wee wrestling tournaments, and the annual LAR Future Farmers of America (FFA) event.

Opportunities to Provide Feedback

The District will be making presentations to local organizations, hosting community information meetings, keeping our website updated, and conducting a public opinion survey. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

If you would like to discuss the proposal in person—or would like a representative of the District to make a presentation to a local organization to which you belong—we would welcome that opportunity. Please email Dr. Jeremy Burmeister, Superintendent of Schools, or Justin Decker, CFO/COO or call 970-336-8500.