The first phase of roof construction at Washington Learning Center started earlier this summer. Originally the full roof replacement was scheduled to take place in three phases across three years, however a new state statute will allow the school district to issue a bond to cover the last two phases in a single year.

NEW ULM – Washington Learning Center (WLC) is getting a new roof sooner rather than later thanks to a new state statute allowing the school to district issue a maintenance bond without seeking voter approval.

The District 88 School board voted Thursday to a resolution to issue a general obligation facilities maintenance bonds to complete roof repairs to WLC.

This summer the School District 88 began the first phase of a three phase plan to replace the roof at WLC. The original plan was to complete one phase each year of the project, spreading the roof repair out over three years. However, the passage of new statue has given the district to fast track the repairs.

Superintendent Sean Koster said the new law will allow the district to levy for repair and replacement projects over $100,000 without voter approval.

District business manager Mathew Moline said by not taking this bond to the voters for approval the district will save on time and expense. Instead of calling in a contractor three years in a row the district will save on mobilization, but they will also save on cost increase for material and labor. Inflation is expected to increase the overall costs.

“We’re trying to be good stewards and get the most bang for our buck,” Moline said. This approach also allows the school to use the Ag to School credit part of the levy.

Moline said of the almost $600,000 project, because of the Ag credit, $128,000 of the roof cost will be paid by the state.

This bond approval has an impact on the tax levy. Koster said with the bond and agricultural credit, the tax impact on a $300,000 home would be $16 a year.

“Sixteen dollars for the year is a good way to levy for a school,” Koster said.

“We do think it is a cost effective way of doing things,” Moline said. “It should get us back to a place where we are not worrying about a roofs for several years.”

Koster said WLC was the only building in the district in need of roof work and it has been leaking due to heavy rain events. Staff has been placing buckets in offices during the rain events.

“It’s not a good luck and I don’t want to delay any further on WLC,” Koster said.

“Washington roof has been in disarray for sometime,” School board member Jonathan Schiro said. “It is needed at this point, otherwise we are going to spend more money.”

Schiro made the motion to approve the resolution issuing the maintenance bond, which was approved the board.

The maximum principal amount on the bond is $610,000. In the event the final two phases of the project comes in under this amount, the district will issue lower bond amount. This bond will be paid off over five years.