School repairs may cost $10 million

When the roof leaks at Washington School in Mundelein, employees have an old-fashioned solution.

"There have been many times they've had the big industrial fans in the hallway trying to dry things out," says Cindy Shafer, treasurer of the parent teacher organization.

The roof repairs at Washington are just one item on a list of repairs at District 75, however. And it looks like taxpayers will be asked to help fund the array of projects, which touch all four of the district's schools.

The school board is considering asking voters in February to issue as much as $10 million in bonds.

Even if all the projects are included, tax bills would drop, according to the district, though not by as much as if nothing was done. Because one loan will be repaid before the new one would be taken out, homeowners will not pay as much to the district as they did in 2006.

Last year, for example, the owner of a $300,000 home paid about $414 toward district bond and interest payments. If the total package were included in the bond request, property owners would pay about $291 in bond and interest or about $123 less than in 2006.

If no bonds were issued, tax paid by the owner of a $300,000 home toward bond and interest would be about $166, or about $248 less.

"In fairness, you'd have to say what it will be without it (bond issue) because it is an increase. I know how burdened our community is," Superintendent Cynthia Heidorn said.

Some of the projects were identified during an inspection of life-safety items, required once every 10 years by the state.

Others, such as air conditioning, have been compiled and honed in cooperation with community members. The thought is that it would be less disruptive in the buildings and cost less in bond interest to proceed with a full package of improvements.

"There isn't anything I would consider fluff," said Wells Frice, school board president. "We don't do this lightly or frequently."

The school board discussed the matter Monday night and will do so again Nov. 5 before making a recommendation Nov. 12.

"Decision No. 1 is, do we go to the voters and ask them to borrow money, and if so, how much," said Frice. Removing air conditioning from the equation, for example, would lower the bond request by nearly $3.3 million.

"The tax money the district receives is sufficient to pay normal operating expenses, things like utilities … but it's not enough to do major re-roofing activity and those types of things."

Shafer says this is basic work that needs to be done.

"This is pretty bare-bones," she said. "Certainly, no frills here."