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Fairfield superintendent answers questions on FMS bond vote
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
The Southeast Iowa Union reached out to Fairfield School Superintendent Zach Wigle and other school officials for a Q and A on the Nov. 4 ballot measure to build a new Fairfield Middle School.
The school district is asking voters to approve a $39.5 million bond that will go toward building a new middle school for grades 5-8 just south of the current building, and would open in 2028. To pass, the referendum must receive over 60 percent of the vote.
Here are the questions and answers between The Southeast Iowa Union and Superintendent Zach Wigle:
Q: Can you explain why the district needs a new middle school when the current one is only about 60 years old?
- The building lacks a secure entrance for student safety.
- The building was constructed too low on the site, leading to perpetual water infiltration due to poor drainage. This problem cannot be effectively remedied.
- The building envelope lacks secondary drainage and flashing behind the exterior cladding, causing water to leak into the walls.
- The windows in the original middle school are single-pane glass and have significant water and air leaks.
- The original building does not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and would be very costly to modify.
- Classrooms are about 150 square feet smaller than current standards. The building wings are too narrow to enlarge classrooms without making the rooms long and narrow. FMS is not equipped to meet the 21st century learning needs of our students and staff. Its current condition does not represent the values and priorities our community places on education.
- A previous building assessment identified more than $40 million worth of deficiencies.
Q: Will this new middle school house other offices that are not in the current middle school, such as the offices at the ACT building?
Yes, the ACT building would close and be sold along with the roadway building. There would be a much smaller dedicated space in the new building.
Q: Why has the district placed this referendum on the ballot after just having a referendum last year? And if this one fails, will there be another referendum next year?
After giving a community wide survey in February of 2025, it was made clear we needed to try again. The board received over 900 signatures to get it added to the ballot this November.
Along with that, we listened to the voters and made changes to the proposed plan. We removed 4th grade and lowered the cost by nearly $7 million.
If this one fails, we will begin planning a renovation project to address as many of the issues as we can.
Q: How much would this $39.5 million bond raise the annual taxes of a resident who owns a $200,000 house, assuming they had no exemptions?
If the bond referendum is approved by at least 60% of voters on November 4, 2025, the maximum tax impact would be $2.70 per $1,000 of taxable property value. For a home assessed at $200,000, this would amount to approximately $243.04 per year. The annual tax impact for a $300,000 commercial property would be approximately $556.60.
Q: How does Fairfield's school tax levy compare to neighboring districts and other districts our size?
Tax levy rates for the Southeast Conference show that Fairfield CSD is in the bottom half for Fiscal Year 2026.
Washington: $16.24
Burlington: $15.97
Keokuk: $15.88
Fairfield: $12.73
Mount Pleasant: $11.98
Fort Madison: $11.92
In a comparison of districts statewide with certified enrollment totals comparable to FCSD, we have the third-lowest rate.
Gilbert: $17.99
Sioux Center: $16.84
Washington: $16.24
Winterset: $15.69
Vinton-Shellsburg: $15.10
Grinnell: $13.50
Decorah: $13.29
Fairfield: $12.73
MOC-Floyd Valley: $12.40
Carroll: $9.94
Q: The district recently announced an enrollment increase in the past year. Will enrollment need to remain constant in order to afford this bond?
No, it will not.
Q: What if the previous steady decline in enrollment from the past 15 years continues?
We may need to look at grade realignment at some point, but that will be a strategic planning committee discussion as time goes on.
These answers, along with many other FAQ's can be found on the FAQ page of our website (fairfieldcsdbond.org ) along with other tabs as well.
