Local News

Minooka D-201 approves $50M referendum on November ballot

New junior high would be built in Shorewood

MINOOKA – The Minooka School District 201 board of education voted unanimously to pass a resolution to issue a $50 million school building bond to the voters at the general election Nov. 6.

“This is simply for the (grades) five to eight building, the single building, not adding any elementary space as we had in the March 2018 referendum,” Superintendent Kris Monn said.

The updated projected cost by Gilbane Building Company was $50.1 million, but the referendum called for $50 million to keep the number rounded, Monn said.

“We were a little higher than what we were looking at in July, but that’s because we are assuming in order to make the site work the most efficient way possible, we need to build a roadway to the east that would actually be a Village of Shorewood road. It will be subject to recapture. That added quite a bit of road and site costs, in addition,” Monn said.

He went on to explain the larger number.

“$50.1 million was the new Gilbane estimate. We have adequate funds in capital projects, and all of this would be subject to recapture, so we are comfortable leaving it at a nice round $50 million number to keep it simple that way,” Monn said.

Monn said the board still has options for financing the project and in board documents. He said the plan would target a stable tax rate, refund portions of current debt and allow for a possible future referendum for the elementary school.

In board documents, Monn stated student enrollment has grown more than 12 percent in the past five years. At the meeting, Monn reported as of Aug. 9, projected enrollment was down 80 students, but in the last 11 days, the number has changed, and now the district is up 50 students. The district grew by 130 students in less than two weeks, and numbers typically rise through October. Monn said Minooka Intermediate and Minooka Junior High Schools have reached capacity, and grades two through four in the area are all over 500 students.

He said housing growth has not stopped, with most of it in the Aux Sable Elementary School area. He said the Walnut Tails and Minooka Elementary areas have seen some growth. The areas which feed into Jones Elementary have slowed, but open lots still remain in Lakewood Prairie subdivision. He was contacted about school capacity due to the possibility of town homes being built in the Sable Ridge subdivision.

The district's referendum, which failed in the March election, asked for $90 million for a new grades five through eight school, elementary school and elementary school improvements. Monn said in the meeting they now have come back with just the immediate need, the grades five to eight building. He said he heard after the referendum the district might have received more support in the spring election, if it had only asked for the one building.

The proposed building, if the referendum passes at the November election, will be built in Shorewood off Seil Road. During the previous referendum, Monn said the Seil Road property also housed room for another school, a junior high, if the enrollment jumped and the schools needed to split, but that was over 10 years out.

Monn said the district will provide more information to the community once the school year gets underway.

The board approved a 4 percent raise for current district bus drivers to the cost of $36,500, which was down from the initial cost of $42,500. The number was less than initially thought after resignations and new hires were taken into account. New hires will not receive the raise.

The next board of education meeting will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Minooka School District Office Board Room, located at 305 W. Church St.