Fairfield voters to consider referendum for new middle school

Residents of the Fairfield Community School District will vote on a $39.5 million general obligation bond on Tuesday, November 4. An approved bond would fund the construction of a new middle school for students in grades 5-8.

Along with general obligation bonds, FCSD would borrow against future revenue it receives from the statewide one-cent sales tax fund — known as Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) — to help pay for the proposed project.

“We believe continuing to invest limited resources into the current middle school is not a practical long-term solution,” said Superintendent Zach Wigle. “The decision to place this referendum on the November ballot comes after careful study and engagement with our community, and it presents an opportunity to provide our students with a safe and modern learning environment where they can thrive.”

The list of challenges at FMS is extensive. The building was constructed too low on-site, leading to perpetual water infiltration. The building’s envelope lacks secondary drainage and flashing, which leads to water leaking into the walls. Many windows are nearly 60 years old with single-pane glass that leaks water and air. The original portions of the school are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the typical classroom is roughly 150 square feet smaller than today’s standards.

The district’s preliminary plans include a two-story school with roughly 108,000 square feet of space at the middle school campus. It would feature a classroom wing for 5th and sixth grade students and a wing for seventh and eighth grade. Specialized areas would be built for band and choir, art, special education, and career and technical education (CTE).

The new school would also have two gymnasiums with seating for 400, as well as a multipurpose room that accommodates two wrestling mats.

The tax impact of an approved bond referendum would be a maximum of $2.70 per $1,000 of taxable property value. For a $200,000 home, this would amount to approximately $234.04 per year.

Based on the average assessed value of agricultural land, the annual tax impact would be $2.68 per acre in Henry County, $2.93 in Jefferson County, $1.94 per acre in Van Buren County, $2.48 in Wapello County, and $3.72 in Washington County.

FCSD officials will be engaging with community members before Election Day. The first outreach event will be at the Fairfield Farmers Market on Sept. 20 at 8 a.m., followed by an informational meeting at Fairfield Middle School on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.

More information about the bond referendum for FCSD, including answers to frequently asked questions, is available at www.fairfieldcsdbond.org