On Tuesday, February 5, the West Branch Community School district will be conducting a special election to extend the current voted PPEL levy of $1.20 for an additional 10 years. This vote is to extend the current rate of $1.20, it’s not a vote to increase our tax rate. The current levy generates approximately $505,000 each year for our school district.
This money is used for various reasons including; purchasing and improving grounds; constructing buildings and roads purchasing of buildings and equipment; paying debts contracted for the erection or construction of schoolhouses or buildings; repairing, remodeling, reconstructing, improving, or expanding the schoolhouses or buildings and additions to existing schoolhouses; expenditures for energy conservation; renting facilities under Chapter 28E; purchasing transportation equipment for transporting students; lease purchase option agreements for school buildings or equipment; or purchasing equipment authorized by law.
Without this voted PPEL, we would not be able to do many of the things that have been done over the past 8 years including.
- Purchasing technology for our 1:1 initiative.
- Purchasing technology for staff to help prepare students for the 21st century (including projectors, interactive white boards, etc…)
- Purchasing cameras for our buildings.
- Purchasing buzz-in security systems and other safety equipment for each of our buildings.
- Purchasing furniture and equipment for our classrooms and buildings.
- Purchasing buses and other vehicles.
- Helping to put on new roof (HS gym) and repairing of roofs.
- Fixing our HVAC problems (which is only a band aid to a bigger issue)
- Helping to renovate our bathrooms in our buildings.
- Helping to pay for the ACE building.
- Helping to pay for the Poplar St. Project.
- Helping to put irrigation in at the soccer field/track/practice football field.
We also have future plans for this money that include:
- Construction of a new press box and concession stand at the baseball field.
- Installing LED lighting in our buildings.
- Purchasing of buses and other school vehicles.
- Purchasing of technology for students and staff.
- Continuing to upgrade furniture and equipment in our buildings.
- Continuing to upgrade facilities.
- Purchasing equipment to maintain facilities
There are many other ways we use PPEL dollars for our school. Without these dollars, it would be difficult for the district to operate on a day-to-day basis. Just as a reminder, this vote is NOT to increase our levy nor would it raise taxes, but this vote is to keep our voted PPEL levy the same which would not increase our tax rate.
If you have any questions, please contact the school and we will do what we can to answer those questions. We are asking patrons to please come out and vote on Tuesday, February 5th. Your voice does matter!