Putnam County voters to decide on school district’s future with referendum

Putnam County residents will decide in the Nov. 5 election whether the school district moves to a single campus in Granville, joining the high school and elementary school there, after the district has found its facilities need more than $60 million in updates.

Right now, the school district, which has just less than 800 students, has its high school and an elementary school in Granville, an elementary school in Hennepin and the junior high school in rural McNabb.

The question on the ballot specifically asks: Shall the Board of Education of Putnam County Community Unit School District Number 535, Putnam, La Salle and Marshall Counties, Illinois, alter, repair and equip school buildings, including constructing security and health/life safety improvements, increasing classroom, cafeteria and gymnasium space and replacing heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, improve school sites and issue its bonds to the amount of $34 million for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?

If the referendum passes, the schools in Hennepin and McNabb will be closed and renovations made to house all Putnam County district students at its existing Granville campus. The cost to make the move from the old buildings to a new facility will be about $34 million, but does not include the cost of improvements identified for the high school.

What prompted a referendum?

The Putnam County school district buildings are aging, require safety improvements, need updated teaching and learning environments and are inefficient to operate.

Putnam County Superintendent Clay Theisinger said an architect recently toured the schools and estimated updating the existing buildings could cost the district $60 million or more, not including some of the educational enhancements that would be sought for a more modern learning environment. The junior high school operates on its wastewater treatment plant that could be costly to fix if major repairs are needed, Theisinger said.

The district began strategic planning in spring 2022 with a consultant and a survey was issued to taxpayers in the district in fall 2022. A little more than 50% of the community members said they would support the closing of schools and a bond issuance.

What other factors were considered in moving to a single campus?

Theisinger said the average student’s daily bus ride will be reduced by about 25 minutes with a single-campus concept. He said the district has nine buses running throughout the county with some pickup times as early as 6:20 a.m. with an 8 a.m. start to the school day. The district also would be able to provide junior high students with access to higher-level courses on the shared campus.

If a referendum passes, what changes would be made?

The school district would create a single campus by building a third and fifth grade classroom addition, building a sixth through eighth grade classroom addition, building a separate, dedicated gymnasium and cafeteria, spaces to accommodate additional students, providing special education space, library, art and music classrooms, science labs and breakout spaces for student collaboration and small group instruction, modifying the office to better monitor and control visitor access and expanding the parking and redesigning vehicle traffic flow and student drop-off / pick-up to improve staff and student safety.

What would be the cost to taxpayers?

Significant investments are needed to update the existing facilities, which will require the district to increase taxes. For a $75,000 property value, the tax bill is estimated to increase by $167.20; for a $100,000 property value, the tax bill is estimated to increase by $240.53; for a $125,000 property value, the tax bill is estimated to increase by $313.87; for a $150,000 property value, the tax bill is estimated to increase by $387.20; and the tax bill is estimated to increase by $533.87.

How can I get more information?

The school district will host two more community info sessions prior to the Nov. 5 election. One is scheduled 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Putnam County Elementary School, 326 N. Fifth St., Hennepin, and another 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, at the Putnam County High School, 402 E. Silverspoon Ave. For information, visit pc535info.com/pc-535.

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Superintendent Clay Theisinger stands next to a handicapped accessible lift just outside the Putnam Junior High School's library in McNabb. The school district is looking at closing the elementary school in Hennepin and the junior high school in McNabb and moving them to one campus in Granville. (Scott Anderson)