The City Schools of Decatur recently posted a new webpage that provides more detail on all the projects that would be completed under the $75 million bond if the referendum is approved by voters in the November election.

To see the full presentation of the 2015 Bond Referendum projects, CLICK HERE.  (The Elementary School rendering above is from that presentation.)

CSD has also provided a “fact sheet” that details growing enrollment and future projections, which you can view HERE.

Below is a list of projects to be completed at DHS, Renfroe and elsewhere.  I’ve added the cost figures from the full presentation to CSD’s list below for convenience.

Decatur High School – $22 million

GO BOND SCOPE OF WORK:

Full Renovation of existing Main Building
Development of a new Bus Drop off and receiving area from Commerce St.
Development of a new Visitor Drop off / Parking – N. McDonough St.
Development of new Bridge Connector between Main Building and Gymnasium / Performing Arts Building
Development of approximately 140 new Parking Spaces
Development of a new Internal Courtyard / Program Space
New Media Center
Development of Four New Science Lab/Classrooms
Development of Four New General Classrooms
Development of Three New CTAE Classrooms / Labs

Current Capacity (including 2015-2016 Modulars) is 1,353 Students
This Scope provides Capacity for up to 1,600 Students or 95% of Current Projections of 1,683 Students by Year 2020

Renfroe Middle School – $15.4 million

GO BOND SCOPE OF WORK:

Demolition of approximately 25,000 Square Feet of existing facility
Limited Renovation of existing Main Building where New Addition connects
Development of renovated Administration Space and new Main Entrance
Development of a new Visitor Drop off / Parking in front of Main Building
Development of approximately 40 new Parking Spaces
Development of a new Internal Courtyard / Program Space
Development of a new Kitchen / Cafeteria / Stage
Development of Three Physical Education Classrooms
Development of Five New Science Lab/Classrooms
Development of approximately Thirty-Four New General Classrooms

Current Capacity (including 2015-2016 Modulars) is 1,268 Students
This Scope provides Capacity for up to 1,613 Students or 93% of Current Projections of 1,735 Students by Year 2020

Other proposed projects included in the 2015 Bond Referendum:

New Elementary School – $15 million
Land Acquisition – $10 million
Additional Modular Classrooms – $3 million
College Heights Elementary and/or relocation of ECLC program – $7 million

According to a newspaper website, the city of Decatur currently has two financing options on the table if it decided to build the unfinished projects left over from the 2006 bond referendum (Fire Station #1, the Rec Center, and the Public Works building.)

The city could raise the millage rate by .4 (equivalent to $72 a year on a $400,000 house) or it could dip into its reserve fund for two years and then use $900,000 a year in capital improvement sales tax money, which is currently being withheld by DeKalb County, to make the loan payments for the remainder.

As the Mayor pointed out in an off-hand comment during a recent commission meeting, the city has to make a decision regarding the ongoing HOST sales tax lawsuit it has with DeKalb County.  Either the city can continue the lawsuit, which is slowly crawling its way back to the GA Supreme Court again, and hope that they win AND that DeKalb can somehow come up with the $10 million in owed back taxes, or they can drop the lawsuit, give up the $10 mil and start getting their nearly $1 million a year from the County “tomorrow”.

I’ll have to get clarification, but I’m assuming that the idea of using two years of reserve fund money is mainly a time-cushion to insure that whatever the outcome of the lawsuit, the city will at least be receiving its annual $1 million from the county by that point.

The city is holding a public information session on our options tonight at 6:30p at City Hall.  Click here for more info.

Two new multiple choice questions on Decatur’s Open City Hall website deal with tax levels and whether residents have the stomach for an increase.

The first question is similar to an unofficial poll I recently threw up on DM…

In today’s current economic condition, it is the City’s goal to maintain the existing levels of service at current property tax rates. If that is not possible, which of the following options would you prefer?

• Maintain tax rate, decrease levels of service
• Maintain levels of service, increase tax rate up to one-half of a mill ($100 per year on a $400,000 property)
• Maintain levels of service, increase tax rate up to one mill ($200 per year on a $400,000 property)
• Decrease tax rate no matter how much it decreases levels of service

The second has to do with a potential new bond referendum to renovate the Police Department, Fire Station 1 and Rec Center…

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