Swan River seeks another $324,000 for building

Swan River School will ask voters to approve a construction bond, the second during the past 10 months, when it mails out a request for $324,000 on June 27.

It's all part of a series of events on the school's path to updated buildings.

Trustees got some good news, then bad news, and now more good news in their quest to expand facilities this year.

In November, voters approved an $867,000 bond issue to build a gym, stage, music room, multipurpose room, locker rooms and restrooms.

School leaders were delighted.

But soil tests during the winter showed that pilings would have to be sunk deep in the earth to make the foundation earthquake-ready. That added substantially to the cost and eliminated some key features in initial plans, such as bleachers, a music room and art room. It also meant the old Quonset would have to stay, providing a place for the school to continue band and its already-limited sports program.

Trustees were less than delighted.

Now, the business office has learned that the school's bonding capacity will increase to $1.2 million July 1, offering the chance to regain lost financial ground and carry out initial plans.

Officials have decided to go for it.

On June 27, the school will mail a ballot to each registered voter in the school district asking approval to sell the extra bonds. It annually would add $16.13 per $100,000 of residential property value.

That's in addition to the estimated $44.70 in annual taxes during the 20-year life of the bond approved in November.

The combined requests leave about $9,000 unencumbered in the district's bonding capacity.

Ballots are due at the school office by July 20.

"We want to give our students and the community a school with a good, long future," Principal Peter Loyda said. The extra money will "give our programs a chance to flourish."

Without the second bond request to complete the addition, he said, "we are going to have to keep the Quonset up and active beyond what we had hoped."

It's an issue because of the soaring heating costs in the Quonset and the condensation on the tile floor that makes for a slippery, dangerous surface for P.E. classes and the few basketball games held there. The curved ceiling cannot accommodate the school's volleyball competitions.

In addition, the band room at the far end of the gym floor is "the size of a bedroom," Loyda said, and drowns out speaking when music is under way.

The Quonset was built in 1970.

Trustees recently awarded the subcontractor bid packages for the $867,000 bond amount, and excavation will begin by the week of June 20.

In mid-July, Loyda said, the school will host a community barbecue to explain the additional bond request.

"We'll show them a painted-on-the-ground version on what they will get for $867,000 and … what they get for $1.2 million," Loyda said.

The $867,000 would buy a metal building structure, gym with no bleachers or seating area, boys' and girls' locker rooms, public restrooms and the shell for a music room.

School officials were hoping to sell and/or move the Quonset off school grounds when the addition is completed. But with only the currently approved bond money, it would have to stay in use for the next few years until the gym and music room could be finished.

The additional $324,000 will help build the metal building and complete the gym with bleachers, the music room, boys' and girls' locker rooms, public restrooms and an art room. In addition, it would add a new stage area with storage.

For information, contact Loyda at 837-4528 or by e-mail at ployda@swanriver.k12.mt.us.

Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com.