FORKS — The Quillayute Valley School Board approved last week a resolution asking voters to renew the district’s maintenance and operations levy, for the upkeep of facilities and educational programs.
A majority vote in the Nov. 12, 2013, special election would authorize funding for the district to meet the educational needs of its students, said Superintendent Diana Reaume said at the board’s regular meeting Tuesday.
The proposed levy would replace the current one, which is set to expire in 2013, and would collect $628,000 a year, with a projected rate of $1.45 per $1,000 worth of assessed property value.
There is no change in the levy amount from the existing two-year levy, Reaume said.
The levy is structured, she said, to pay for expenses not covered by state funding, such as maintaining buildings and grounds, books and other educational materials, technology costs and extracurricular activities. Those activities include athletics, drama, art, music and field trips.
A maintenance and operation levy is different from a bond measure, Reaume explained.
Bond measures are used for construction, such as the one that paid for the recent replacement of Forks High School, she said.
The district plans to resurface the Spartan Stadium track; add safety upgrades to crosswalks and sidewalks on South Elderberry Avenue; add new drain vents on the Forks Middle School roof; re-roof Forks Alternative School and the Independent Learning Center Annex; replace district motor pool vehicles; replace the middle school freezer and 1970s-era carpeting at Forks Elementary School; purchase textbooks; and fund annual technology upgrades.
“Without the passing of our levy, the district would lose over $2 million in levy equalization funds from the state yearly,” Reaume said.
Levy equalization allows districts with lower property values to be funded at a rate similar to high property value districts through added state financing.
Reaume said the district used the existing bond to complete several replacement and upgrade projects.
In 2012, the district replaced the roof of Forks Elementary School, purchased a new walk-in freezer for the district’s food program; paved the transportation parking area and bus shed; replaced siding on the middle school gymnasium; and bought new musical instruments for the music program, she said.
With the rest of the existing bond, the district plans to upgrade the security camera system, upgrade elementary school heating pumps and replace a failing roof on the high school auxiliary gym.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
