With resolution, Ephrata council endorses school bond measure

EPHRATA – Through word and deed, Ephrata City Council members on Wednesday signaled strong support for the Ephrata School District’s upcoming construction bond proposal.

Formally, the council unanimously approved a resolution that endorses the $75 million bond proposition, noting that passage during a Feb. 10 special election will also leverage an additional $27.4 million in non-levied assistance funding from the state.

If okayed by voters, the combined monies will finance construction of a new K-4 elementary school and grades 5-6 intermediate school plus add several new classrooms, improved security access, and a new performing arts center at Ephrata High School.

In their resolution, council members said the bond provides “a critical investment in public education, consistent with the City’s commitment to supporting quality schools, strong neighborhoods, and a thriving local economy.”

In a memorandum to the council and Mayor Steve Oliver, city administrator Ray Towry said the school bond addresses the council’s own goals of improved public safety, infrastructure and facilities for future growth, enhanced community appeal and economic vitality, and a commitment to “thoughtful, efficient governance.”

During last night’s meeting, Towry said city officials have “a tremendous working relationship with the school district” and noted the district allows its facilities to be used by the city for a number of programs.

“It’s a benefit to the community as a whole,” he said.

Earlier this week, in a personal letter to the community, Oliver voiced his support, calling the proposal a “positive step to ensure that amazing quality of life that we foster here will continue.”

“I believe in the bond and the good work that will come from its passing,” Oliver wrote. “As a parent, a business owner, and a taxpayer, I wholeheartedly support this bond and the future of our kids.”

Letters of endorsement from council members Kathleen Harris, Mike Warren, and Valli Millard were also shared Wednesday evening.

Millard, a commercial banker and Class of 1984 EHS graduate, said having an “efficiently run, modern school district is one of the most important things to attracting new businesses to locate in Ephrata.”

“No successful business wants to locate in a town where the schools are failing,” wrote Millard. “They are looking for a strong school district that the local residents take pride in and that will graduate students that will be their future workforce.”

“Thie proposal is not extravagant; it is essential,” Millard continued, calling the bond proposition “a forward-looking investment.”

“It replaces buildings that have outlived their intended lifespan, reduces reliance on portables, improves safety and energy efficiency, and ensures that Ephrata students learn in environments designed for modern education,” she stated.

Fellow council members, EHS grads, and local businessmen Phil Borck and Matt Moore echoed Millard’s comment.

Borck said housing availability, public transportation, and quality schools are among the factors which attract new businesses and foster growth in communities.

Along with the city, said Borck, the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce and Ephrata Port District have also endorsed the school bond.

Moore called the proposition “incredibly well thought out,” saying it provides funding to address facilities which are “old and long overdue” for replacement.

Also voting in favor of the resolution were council members Beau Lamens and James Mathis.

All of the comments followed an initial presentation by Ephrata School District superintendent Ken Murray.

City attorney Anna Franz noted that other members of the public at the sparsely attended meeting were entitled to express opposing opinions. No one did.

However, through social media, there have been numerous online comments complaining about increased property taxes if the bond passes.

Murray said the school district conservatively estimates an overall rate hike of $1.07 per $1,000 of assessed property valuation, increasing from a current rate of $3.59 to $4.66 beginning in 2027.

That is comparable to rates that property owners paid solely in local levy taxes up to 2018, said Murray. He anticipates the actual rate will be less in coming years due to continued property growth within the district and a planned rate step-down in two years on an existing construction bond approved by voters in 2019.

If okayed, the financing will pay for construction of two new schools to replace Grant Elementary and Parkway Intermediate, which are 69 and 79 years old respectively. Both are overcrowded, collectively relying on nine portable buildings to house extra classrooms, with small gyms that double as cafeterias.

Murray said students attending those schools lack “equity” with their peers at Columbia Ridge Elementary and the Ephrata Middle School, both of which have been modernized and expanded in the past five years.

School officials also say the 40-year-old “new” high school is overcrowded, built for 600 students but with a current enrollment of 900, and the existing, much-older performing arts center is antiquated.

For passage, the bond proposition requires at least 60% approval plus turnout “validation” by at least 40% of voters within the district who cast ballots in the last general election. Ballots for the Feb. 10 special election are being mailed out this week by Grant County elections officials.

Income-eligible senior citizens and disabled persons may qualify for tax exemptions through the Grant County Assessor’s Office.

Approved funds can only be used for new school construction, not salaries or other purposes.

Comprehensive information regarding the bond proposal can be viewed at TigersVote.org.