School proposes more housing

Two separate bond elections, each for $750,000, were the topic of discussion at a community meeting on Tuesday night inside the CCHS Tuggle Room.

Around fifteen individuals were present at the meeting, including five members of the Ekalaka Elementary #15 and Carter County High School Unified Board of Trustees.

One bond election is for registered voters of School Dist. 15. That election will be held by mail ballot on November 7 for the purpose of voting on the question of whether the board may sell and issue general obligation school building bonds of the district in the aggregate principal amount of up $750,000, for the purpose of paying costs of designing, constructing, equipping, and furnishing teacher and staff housing on the school grounds and related improvements and storage; and paying costs associated with the sale and issuance of the bonds.

The other bond election is for voters of the high school district. It is also for $750,000 and for the same purpose.

The bonds shall be payable semiannually during a term of not more than five years.

Ballots will be mailed on October 18th. Election day is November 7th.

In a split vote, a resolution to hold the bond elections was duly adopted by the board at a meeting on August 15.

Much of Tuesday's meeting was focused on estimated annual tax impact and how voters may find the taxable value of their property. Those in attendance also asked questions and provided comment about housing plans, insurance, fire protection, permits, renting to individuals not employed by the school, a potential project timeline, and future plans of the district.

Superintendent Charles Cook stated that the bond elections are what school administration is recommending, but that it is ultimately "up to the public to vote."

District Clerk Brittani Brence presented a slideshow at the meeting. One slide listed ten other schools - including nearby Baker, Broadus, and Plevna - that already have multiple housing units. Administration said that offering housing at reduced rates can help attract potential teaching candidates to Ekalaka. Those candidates may otherwise go somewhere with higher wages, or somewhere that offers housing, or both. Schools with higher enrollments receive more funding to pay teachers higher salaries.

Opponents to the bond elections that were in attendance at Tuesday's meeting questioned "the use of public funds to compete with private enterprise."

Though original plans when preparing for the bond election included building two separate duplex units, the language in the bond only states that it is for designing and constructing teacher and staff housing, so plans could change if the bond elections pass. In other words, the architect fees are written into the bond and no project plans will be made available ahead of the bond vote.

Cook also stated at the meeting that if the bond elections passed they would "hopefully start the project before school started next year."

Background

Ekalaka Elementary District #15 purchased private property located at 228 Senator Street in Ekalaka in 2021. The property consists of Lots 4 & 5, Block 2 of the Cady Addition, next to Rowley Field. The district paid $90,000 plus closing costs. At the time of purchase the property consisted of two city lots totaling 23,160 square feet, a 14' by 56' manufactured home with a 1010 square foot addition, and two outbuildings. This property is the current proposed site for the housing project.

In 2020, the school district had a home moved onto land it already owned next to the property at 228 Senator Street. That home is currently being used as housing for the principal. In total, the school presently owns three housing units.

To look up property taxable values in Montana visit http://svc.mt.gov/dor/property/prc . To find your estimated annual tax impact multiply total taxable value by the number of mills and divide by 1,000.

Current members of the unified board of trustees are Michael Ashbrook, Samantha Wright, Lisa Borchgrevink, Helen King, Stefan Livingston, Thebea Thomas and Lynn Williams.