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H-L-P School Board Discusses Possible Bond Options

March 07, 2023 Steve Schwaller

(Lake Park)– The Harris-Lake Park School Board met Monday evening to further discuss options for a facilities project. The board is now considering two different bond proposals. One is for $4.05. It would generate $18.1 million. The other is for the lesser amount of $2.70 which would include renovating the existing elementary, opposed to the higher figure which would allow for the construction of an addition onto the middle school/high school for a combined K-12 facility. Superintendent Les Douma says they’ll know more on the feasibility of the lower cost option once architects come back at their meeting March 27th…

“We had little to share with the public at first. Until you get hard and fast numbers, and then when the hard numbers came in we had just one option: $4.05. So now you’re going to the public saying we don’t have a lot to share with you but the only way we’re going to do anything is that we need to go with $4.05, and that doesn’t sit well with people. You want to be fair with them and give them an option. So maybe the 27th we find out and the board says let’s take the temperature, if you will, of the community and see what that says and allow it to come back.”

Douma says the lower cost option would consist of a scaled back remodeling of the Elementary to include a new roof and HVAC system, a secure entrance, and the possible elimination of an elevator.

Douma says taxpayers in the H-L-P district recently saw their rates drop due to the pay off of the bond for the middle school-high school. He says that could add to the challenge of getting even a smaller bond issue passed.

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