Proposed projects will add classrooms, auditorium
WELLMAN - Voters in the Mid-Prairie Community School District can begin voting in person on Wednesday (Oct. 14) at their county auditor’s offices. Friday (Oct. 19) is the last day to request an absentee ballot for the Nov. 3 election.
On the ballot is a proposed plan that includes and addition and renovations to the high school. The projects include fine arts and special education classrooms, a new events entrance, and a 500-seat auditorium. The new event entrance will connect the auditorium to the current gymnasium and will include new ADA-compliant restrooms as well as new event/activities concessions. Renovating the current band and choir classrooms will allow special education to move to the first level. The current special education classrooms will then be converted to create much-needed space for general education use and additional ADA-compliant restrooms for the building.
All of these projects were identified as priorities by the community during planning that began in 2023.
Because the projects will be funded with a general obligation bond, voter approval is required. The project will not increase the district’s property tax levy rate, which has decreased to $13.01 from $13.87 in 2018, all while the district has completed multiple facility improvements.
The total project cost for the 2026 general obligation bond will be $19 million, including around $1 million for the general education classrooms, $1 million for the new special education classrooms, $4.4 million for fine arts classrooms, $3 million for an activities commons with restrooms and concessions, and $8.6 million for the auditorium. The total project cost also includes around $600,000 for bond and legal fees.
The bond needs 60 percent approval to pass. The election was called in August when a petition with 811 signatures from eligible electors in the district was submitted to the school board. This surpassed the required number of signatures needed to put the question on the ballot.
For the last decade, the Mid-Prairie School Board has used the voter-approved debt service levy of $2.70 to pay down existing bonds early and save interest. As a result, the district paid off the 2014 bond in 2025, which was nine years ahead of schedule, saving the district $751,600 in interest.
The district has been taking the same approach to the bonds that were approved by voters in 2023, with 70% approval, to fund parking and bus drop-off at both elementary schools, a new multi-purpose activities building at the high school, and additional classrooms and a new playground at West Elementary School.. If the bond passes, the $2.70 levy will be used to pay off both the existing bond and the new bond.
Thus far, the district has 34 different facility projects originally identified by a community-based facility committee without raising the property tax levy rate. Significant improvements to the middle school and East Elementary were paid for using sales tax revenue from the state SAVE fund.
For facility updates, go to www.mphawks.org/o/district/page/facilities and follow the district on social media.
For more information: Brian Stone, bstone@mphawks.org, (319) 646-6093
