School heating: St. John seeks three year, $969,000 levy

St. John School District voters will decide in November on a capital projects levy proposal that will pay for the remaining heating system replacement for the school.

According to Superintendent Gary Wargo, the cost to complete the heating replacement project is estimated at $969,000. The levy would raise the money over three years beginning in 2014.

Taxpayers would see an increase of $1.84 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2014, $1.80 per $1,000 in 2015 and $1.75 per $1,000 in 2016.

If approved, the capital levy will begin to receive tax revenue in May 2014 with taxes collected in May and November of each year.

Wargo said earlier this year, St. John School District received a state energy grant for $1 million toward a $1.24 million project that will replace one boiler, heating pipes and heat exchangers in the elementary and secondary classrooms and that also provided money to replace the lighting in both the high school and elementary gyms.

Wargo said the heating replacement project was broken into two phases because the district applied for the energy grant proposal that would fit the grant’s parameters.

“We felt fortunate to get the grant,” he said.

Wargo said there was not enough grants or local money to replace the entire heating system at one time.

The second phase will complete the project for the entire school by removing the second boiler and replacing heating pipes and heat enchangers in the music area, gym and shower room areas and also will replace the old heating system in the elementary gym.

The project would begin in May 2014 and be complete by the start of the school year in September 2014, Wargo said.

“We broke up the project into two phases so we could get the grant,” Wargo said. “This lessened the burden on our taxpayers.”

Phase one, the classroom portion of the project, was substantially completed by the start of September to coincide with the start of the new school year. The project progressed well during the summer months, with it ending on time and within the budget, Wargo said.

What is left to be done before the entire project can be considered complete is final system testing and calibration that is scheduled to be done once colder weather hits the area, he said.

“With the completion of phase one, students and staff can be assured that the heating system will function much better and be more dependable than it has in recent years and that classrooms will be adequately heated during the winter to support a healthy learning environment,” Wargo said.

“As well, the school board and community can be assured that the new system they invested in will provide a more energy efficient system over the next 20-25 years.”