NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With Hesston USD 460 voters approving a bond on Tuesday and Pretty Prairie voters headed to the polls Sept. 6, it's clear that many districts in the area are seeing their facility needs and ready to ask voters for help.
That's also the case in Nickerson-South Hutchinson USD 309, though the date for their proposed $10.5 million bond has not been set yet. They are finishing up looking at some science upgrades with capital outlay dollars first, but then it's time to talk to the public about what they want beyond that.
"We really plan to turn our attention on getting community input," said USD 309 Superintendent Curtis Nightingale. "We're trying to put together some type of a plan that would make some sense in terms of the dollars that we could gather and spend to bring our facilities up to that next level."
The board agreed in principle back in February to try to hold to a ten-year bond at the $10.5 million price point.
"A lot of buildings were built during the old works projects in the late 40s and early to mid 50s," Nightingale said. "Our facilities are getting quite a bit older and we have to start looking at shelf life of those facilities. Are the structures themselves sound? If so, many of them have not been updated in decades."
It's important that those who are interested not only in education, but more broadly in the future of the community look at what investing in schools can help with.
"If there's a community perception out there that you've got run-down facilities, they're going to rank your district low and know, if that's occurring, that effects property value," Nightingale said. "While you might think, well, I don't have a kid in the building, physically, I don't either, my kids are both grown, as well. I don't have a kid in the building either. However, the quality of our schools not only speaks to my property value, selfishly, but as a society, you're talking about quality of life in a society."
Nickerson USD 309's last bond failed. It would have been a $30 million bond and was rejected in 2019.