Editor’s note: The following story is the first of a three-part series detailing issues and candidates who will appear before the Union County voters on the March 19 ballot. Friday’s installment will detail candidates in the contested state representative race and Saturday will see profiles of Republican sheriff’s candidates.
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In just under two weeks, Union County residents will head to the polls to cast their votes in the March primary.
Two main issues on the ballot include tax levies for Fairbanks Local Schools and the Village of Richwood.
Both levies will be familiar to residents voting that day as both issues appeared on the ballot last November but were voted down.
For the Fairbanks levy, voters will see the second attempt to pass a combined .25% income tax and 1.84-mill property tax to fund the remaining pieces of the district-wide building project.
At the end of 2022, the Fairbanks Board of Education approved the master facility plan, which would bring various additions and renovations to the whole campus in two phases. Officials said a main goal is to address growth in the district that spans all or portions of Allen, Union, Darby, Jerome and Millcreek townships in Union County and Pike and Darby townships in Madison County.
“The proposed facility plan addresses the three C’s of facilities in Fairbanks,” said Superintendent Adham Schirg. “Capacity – We are growing. Projected enrollment is 1,237 by 2032. This plan will accommodate up to 200 additional students in the high school. Curriculum – Additions and renovations would provide modern facilities in science, agriculture and STEM. It would also provide furnishings and technology support to promote student learning and prepare students for life after graduation. Capital improvements – This will provide for a secure entrance to the middle and high school as well as improve travel on and around campus.”
Phase one includes an addition to the elementary, which broke ground last fall.
Voters then passed one measure in November, a permanent improvement levy, which allowed the district to finance $11 million to start work on the second phase of the master facility plane. The second issue failed and will return to the ballot this month. Passing the issue would fund continued work on that second phase, bringing $23 million to complete renovations of the middle and high school. It will also add 19,000 square feet to the front of the building, a 12,000-square foot multi-purpose gymnasium and needed infrastructure updates around the campus.
After the levy failure, the board voted in December to put the issue back on the ballot as a way to be “proactive, not reactive” to growth.
At the time, Schirg said the district would continue to monitor the growth everywhere in the area but particularly in Jerome Township.
“If the ballot issue does not pass, the district will be financing against the permanent improvement levy for $11 million, which will replace the HVAC and electrical systems along with select renovations,” Schirg said. “Issues of capacity will not be able to be solved in the short term.”
Schirg stressed the building project came after more than a year of conversations and public engagement.
“The master facility plan and financing was a result of a public process including a community facility task force, community meetings and feedback through small group meetings from December 2021 through December of 2022,” he said. “The task force continues to meet to discuss community planning.”
For residents in Richwood, they will once again see the 3.2-mill renewal levy that will go toward operating expenses. According to estimates from the auditor’s office, the levy will contribute around $80,000 to the general fund.
Mayor Scott Jerew said he understands residents’ concerns about higher taxes after voting the levy down in November, but wanted to stress the funding need.
“I would just want everyone to know that this is a renewal, so no new taxes,” he said. “I also know that we are taxed to death but we work hard to manage your money.”
The Richwood Police Department, which is funded solely by general fund dollars, would be impacted most if the levy fails.
“The general fund pays council salary, village administration and clerk/treasurer’s salaries, legal council as well,” said Sarah Sellers, the village fiscal officer. “The funds also go towards paying street lights, maintenance of buildings and land, accounting fees, audits fees that are appropriations that really can not be adjusted.”
Other issues on the March 19 ballot include a proposed replacement levy for the Marysville Public Library that will see an estimated collection of $1.6 million annually. There will also be a replacement levy for Claibourne Township that would collect an estimated $124,000 annually.