Gladbrook-Reinbeck Junior High/High School’s lower level football locker room showers pictured earlier this year. The district is currently working to advance Phase II of its three-phase, long-term master facility plan which would see a new addition/building constructed to replace the secondary school complex's deteriorating 1921 section as part of a $15 million bond referendum. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

GLADBROOK – After successfully passing a resolution this past June to use approximately $8.9 million in sales tax bonds (SAVE) and cash-on-hand to fund much needed infrastructure updates and additions at the elementary school, the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District is ready to take on its next financial challenge – a school bond referendum this coming November.

“What feels icky about it is, we’re moving really really fast again to get this going,” G-R Superintendent Caleb Bonjour told school board members on Thursday, July 18, during the board’s nearly three-hour regular monthly meeting held at Gladbrook City Centre. “The task force [said] anytime we move fast to do something is when a lot of the fists get a little more clenched and anxiety increases.”

It will be two years this September since the district’s most recent bond referendum attempt – a two-question, $23.6 million public measure – to fund facilities improvements using general obligation (G.O.) bonds failed by more than 60%. But in light of recent successes in getting SAVE across the finish line – and absent any public petition to nix the initiative – school board members are ready to try again.

During the meeting, Bonjour explained that with construction costs escalating annually by more than 4% due to inflation, the $15 million price tag currently attached to the second phase of the district’s three-phase, long-term facility master plan will bump up by at least $700,000 if the district waits until November of 2025 to pass a bond as opposed to if a bond were approved by a supermajority (60%) of the district’s voters this coming November.

“For me this is a very tough and difficult decision,” Bonjour, who was not the district’s superintendent during the 2022 referendum, admitted. “The task force wanted SAVE to happen, and they want to see that happen before they try for a G.O. bond. … [But] I’d rather move forward faster to maximize the dollars better … I don’t want to pay another $700,000 just because construction costs went up.”

Gladbrook-Reinbeck Jr./Sr. High School in Reinbeck. SUN COURIER FILE PHOTO

During the lengthy meeting, both Jeff Herzberg with the design-build firm SitelogIQ and Matthew Gillaspie with the financial firm Piper Sandler gave presentations on the district’s Phase II options – a phase which, if passed, would essentially build a new academic/classroom space at the JH/HS location, thereby eliminating the need for the deteriorating 1921 building which is currently in use.

“To me it seems like the community’s pretty damn supportive right now compared to where it’s been,” Gillaspie said toward the end of his presentation. He also told the board that if they choose not to put a bond referendum on the ballot this November, such a decision would be essentially “the same thing as choosing to vote and [the bond referendum] failed.”

“So why not try?” Gillaspie asked. “At least then you know.”

As the meeting ticked closer and closer to the three-hour mark – lasting so long board member Doug Rowe eventually made the decision to stand up behind his chair for relief – each of the five school board members present expressed their desire to press ahead this November with Phase II.

“I would be in favor of moving things forward with Phase II,” vice-president Matt Wyatt said before later adding, “I know it’s going to be a lot of work for Caleb … [but] he’s gotten a lot done and done good quality work … I think it would be in the best interest [of the district].”

Gladbrook-Reinbeck Elementary School pictured on Thursday, June 27. As part of Phase 1 of the school district’s 10-year, three-phase facility improvements plan, the 64-year-old elementary school will undergo renovations using approximately $8.9 million in SAVE (sales tax) revenue with no impact on local property taxpayers. Phase 1 includes a new secure entrance; upgrading the HVAC and electrical systems; classroom improvements; ADA-compliant restrooms; and three to four additional classroom spaces for special ed, administration, and possible future preschool. Phase 2 – which would construct all new classrooms east of the secondary building in what is now the parking lot – will require a roughly $18.9 million bond referendum to implement. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

For his part, Rowe said, “It’s go time,” while explaining that rising inflation costs were a “tough pill to swallow.”

“Spending a million dollars on increased construction costs isn’t in the best interest of kids,” Bonjour concurred.

Wyatt then addressed the elephant in the room – the fact that a sizable number of the district’s Gladbrook students open enroll out every year in order to attend Green Mountain-Garwin CSD.

“Well, guess what,” Wyatt said, “GMG is voting [on a bond referendum this fall] also.”

After hearing from his board members, Bonjour then turned to the handful of people in the audience — including members of the most recent iteration of the district’s facility task force — for their opinions.

“I think you’re rushing it. I don’t think you’re going to have a good response down here,” one audience member commented.

Several other members of the task force, however, thought moving ahead this fall was the right move although concerns were raised about the continuing layoffs at John Deere Waterloo Works – layoffs which were affecting many taxpaying members of the G-R community.

School board member Rod Brockett – the current board’s longest serving member – said that while he had serious concerns with the amount of time available to educate voters ahead of the November 2024 election, he, too, would like to avoid an escalation in construction costs.

In an echo of his earlier comments and in the waning moments of the discussion, Rowe said, “We started this how many years ago? We need to go. … We have needs. The needs are not going to get any less expensive to fix. … And we need to provide a facility that, one, attracts families to our district to be educated. Attracts quality staff – retains quality staff to teach them. And we can’t do that status quo. …”

Rowe continued, “[Herzberg and Gillaspie] have told us we can do this, but it’s going to take commitment. … It will be a year before we can do this again. … It’s another year of uncertainty. I don’t necessarily want to pay more taxes [but] somebody did it previously so we could have [quallity] schools. … I think we gotta give it a shot. … Let’s get started.”

No motion was required Thursday evening in order to proceed with the bond referendum process at the current juncture.

The next steps for the district include working with legal counsel to draw up a school bond petition which must then be circulated in the community before being presented to the president of the school board.

Prior to the meeting’s adjournment, Bonjour indicated he would begin working on the petition the following day.