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HINTON, Iowa (Iowa Media Wire) — For the third year in a row, a Siouxland School District is hoping to pass a bond to improve their school district.
The Hinton Community School District is hoping to pass a similar bond as last year, tackling some much needed repairs and upgrades as well as creating more space for students.
“The board is asking the public to vote on a school referendum bond of $8.9 million, ” said Ken Slater, the superintendent with Hinton Community School District
Hinton officials have a lengthy list for this year’s bond with a good portion of it focused on the Middle and High Schools aging infrastructure, like heating and cooling.
“We still have rooms that in the winter are either really hot or cold. You got to dress for a couple of different seasons if you’re a student coming in summer classrooms or teachers,” said Superintendent Slater.
Some classrooms still use boil heaters during the winter and wall A/C units during the summer. If the bond passes, they would be replaced with modern equipment.
“Everything would be these rooftop units that were placed. We have those in our in a couple of our wings, and they work. They’ve worked really well,” said Superintendent Slater.
School officials are also wanting to remove asbestos, update their electrical systems, and improve multiple classrooms like shop and science, just to name a few items on their list.
As for the elementary, the bond would create two new classrooms.
“One would be special ed, one would be another general classroom for specials and other classes, along with a couple of restrooms to take care of those. That new area would really help us out, giving potential growth here in the future,” said Superintendent Slater.
If the $8.9 million bond is passed, residents with a home valued at $100,000 would be paying $83.03 annually in property taxes.
Superintendent Slater said that he has hopes that the third time is the charm to get the bond passed.
“When you come in and are in this building with the staff and with the students, you know, we made this school work well, that they also deserve to have the best environment they can have. And at some point, it’s just going to be more expensive each year that we’re trying and, this is, these are needs,” said Superintendent Slater.
There will be an open house Tuesday, October 28, at 6:30 p.m. for anyone with questions about the bond to ask them. For those who have already made up their minds, residents can either vote early at the elementary school starting October 21 or vote on November 4.