The Twin Rivers R-X School District is reaching out to the community to gather their thoughts on the future plans of the district through a community survey.
"We are looking at what the community would like to see as far as the district's future goals and needs," Superintendent Jeremy Siebert said.
The district is considering an operating tax levy increase for the April 2018 ballot.
The tax increase is projected to be about 85 to 90 cents, Siebert said, and maybe higher, depending on whether a new high school or middle school building is proposed.
Based upon estimates, Siebert said the cost for a new middle school could be between $7.5-8.5 million while a new high school could be between $8.5-9.1 million.
"A high school would cost more because of the bigger gym and the need for more classrooms," Siebert said.
According to Siebert, the proposed operating tax levy will enable the school district to generate revenue to pay for the $1.84 million in needed improvements throughout the district, which were completed over the summer, and whether or not to build a new school building at Broseley.
In the community survey, citizens are asked five questions.
Whether they are a tax payer of the Twin Rivers School District, are they a registered voter, would they vote in favor of a tax levy increase, do they have children attending Twin Rivers and their opinion on which new school building they would prefer.
The two proposed options for a new building are whether community members would like to see a new high school built at Broseley with middle school students moving to the current high school, or whether a new middle school should be built at Broseley with high school students remaining in their current location.
Either building option would move middle school students to Broseley and have only K-4 students at Fisk and Qulin.
With a new building also comes the opportunity for newer technology within.
"Buildings built in the 1950s were not made for all the computers we have," Siebert said.
If a new building is chosen, Siebert said it would be designed with added technology in mind and equipped with modern labs, a media center and library.
The school district is also in the process of applying for a FEMA Safe Room grant to help offset some the proposed building cost.
According to Siebert, the district will be entered into a pool in October to obtain a safe room and should know by July 2018 if chosen.
Community surveys are scheduled to be sent home with students beginning next week for parents to fill out and return.
Surveys will also be available at each of the school building's offices, the Central Board Office, Qulin Homecoming on Oct. 7 and Broseley Homecoming on Oct. 21. Surveys may also be obtained by calling the Central Office at 573-328-4321 or by e-mail at jsiebert.tr10.us.
The surveys are due by the end of October.
Representatives from St. Louis based financial management firm L.J. Hart & Company and CTS Group will both be in attendance at the next board meeting Oct. 24.
L.J. Hart & Co. will be assisting the district on the finance side as well as helping with ballot language and gathering the number of registered voters for the district. CTS will provide building plans for each of the proposed options.
The board is projected to vote on whether or not the resolution will appear on the April ballot during their December meeting, in time for the measure to be submitted in January.
If the proposed operating tax levy is not passed, Siebert said other options could include a smaller operating tax levy to fund the improvements made or payments could be made through the district's budget.
This past March, the board approved nearly $2 million in lease purchase financing through L.J. Hart & Co. The funds from the sale of $1.9 million lease certificates were used towards district wide improvements over the summer.
The first payment for the improvements was recently made by the district for a little over $31,000, which was interest that has accumulated. The next payment will come due in April 2018 for $30,222.
The district attempted to pass a bond issue in April 2012 to fund a new middle school at Broseley, but was 24 votes shy of passing. The bond measure required 57.14 percent "yes" votes to pass, but only received 54.03 percent..
In August 2012, voters again rejected a no-tax increase bond issue to fund a new middle school. The measure received 49.2 percent of the 57.14 percent "yes" votes needed this time around.
"A new facility would centralize our district instead of being so spread out," Siebert said. "This would hopefully attract new students to the area as well."