Group launches campaign to back school bond

Friends of Whitefish Schools, a newly formed ballot issue committee dedicated to promoting Whitefish High School's requested $21.5 million bond issue, has launched its public outreach campaign.

The group is made up of community members, business owners, school board trustees, teachers and members of the parent-teacher association. Superintendent Jerry House, high school Principal Kent Paulson and Assistant Principal Jeff Peck are the committee's advisers.

The committee has scheduled several public tours (starting on Thursday) of the high school before the election, which will take place by mail-in ballot March 6 through 27. Paulson will lead the tours and provide information about the proposed plan. Members of the public are invited to ask questions and provide input.

The high school no longer meets the needs of teachers or the student body, officials say, which is creating safety and liability issues. To address those needs, the district has proposed nearly 164,000 square feet of new construction, remodeling and improvements.

Proposed changes include about 85,700 square feet of new construction. A new wing on the south and west end of the building would include more than 20 new classrooms and an expanded library.

The plan also calls for a food court, cafeteria and commons area, which would allow the school to have a closed campus for lunch. The building's existing C wing, which lacks fire sprinklers and has an extremely outdated electrical system, would be demolished.

The district hopes to use Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design strategies throughout the project. LEED is a nationally recognized rating system for green building projects.

If approved, the bonds will raise annual property taxes on a home with a taxable market value of $200,000 by about $160. Taxes on homes with taxable market values of $300,000 would increase by about $240 each year.

To find estimated tax increases, property owners can visit http://gis.mt.gov and search for their parcels. Parcel information will include taxable market value; multiplying that number by 0.0012 will give the estimated tax increase.

If voters approve the bond issue, construction would begin in spring 2009. The entire project is slated for completion in winter 2011.

Voters can see the proposed changes and the reasons for the requested bonds during the planned public tours, which are scheduled on the following dates:

. 6 to 7 p.m. Jan. 24

. 5 to 6 p.m. Feb. 16

. 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 27

. 4 to 7 p.m. March 5 (during parent-teacher conferences)

. 6 to 7 p.m. March 13

In addition to tours, Friends of Whitefish Schools will give presentations to local civic organizations and community groups. The committee is preparing a brochure with details about the bond issue and its project impacts.

For further information, contact Friends of Whitefish co-chair Linda Maetzold at 862-5158 or co-chair Lin Akey at 862-3747. More information also is available on the district Web site at www.wfps.k12.mt.us.

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com