Voters approve Centerville Schools project

Mar. 3—CENTERVILLE — By a narrow margin, voters approved the Centerville Community School District's proposal to use property taxes to fund a new and renovated high school.

Fewer than 1,000 citizens turned out to vote in the special election, between early voting and Election Day voting on Tuesday.

There were 624 "yes" voters supporting the project, good for 62.7% support and above the 60% threshold needed for approval.

In presenting the issue to voters, the district said it projected keeping its tax rate flat for at least the next 10 years despite the new levy that will finance $12 million of the project.

Project managers project the cost of building a new high school addition, aimed to replace the original 1917 portion of Centerville High School, will cost about $15 million. That's at least $1 million less than the estimated cost to renovate the original building up to codes, plus the addition is expected to save $25,000 in utility costs each year.

Once the new addition is constructed and attached to the previous additions built in 1938, 1998 and 2004, the original high school building will be torn down and replaced with a parking lot.

The addition will be built on the south side of the high school, near the recently constructed wrestling room. It will include pieces of the original history for historical remembrance, architects said.

In addition to funding from the voter-approved levy, the project will also draw funds from the district's share of the statewide 1-cent sales tax proceeds.

Kyle Ocker is the editor of the Ottumwa Courier and the Oskaloosa Herald. He can be reached at kocker@ottumwacourier.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kyle_Ocker.