A vote to extend a capital projects fund to go to Linn-Mar, Marion voters in March

MARION — When the roof of Francis Marion Intermediate School in Marion partially collapsed in October during a storm, repairs were covered by a voter-approved capital projects fund.

Without the fund called the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, said Director of Operations and Transportation Bob Scott, “I can’t fathom how we would do the repairs without it. Without PPEL, there would be a lot of major budget cuts to pay for emergencies and projects.”

Since October when damage was identified at Francis Marion Intermediate by an evening custodian, the roof and some fire safety equipment has been repaired. The school still is waiting on new carpeting and new ceiling tiles and some technology that was damaged by the storm.

Voters in the Marion Independent and Linn-Mar school districts will be asked March 5 to consider extending the PPEL fund, which school leaders say is integral to maintaining facilities and purchasing vehicles and technology.

The fund must be renewed by voters every 10 years. If renewals are approved, the extension would not raise the existing school tax rate for residents of either district.

“Our voted PPEL generates financing that is a crucial part of our budget and affords us the opportunity to provide our students with an exceptional learning environment where they can thrive,” Linn-Mar Superintendent Amy Kortemeyer said. “Our community has made significant investments in our facilities, and a PPEL is a cost-effective way to maintain and protect the district’s assets for future generations.”

Linn-Mar and Marion school districts each have had voter-approved PPEL in place for more than a decade. If the measures are approved in March, PPEL would be extended through 2035 at the existing rate of $1.34 per $1,000 of taxable property value.

PPEL generates $3.5 million to $4.7 million annually in the Linn-Mar Community School District. About $1 million of it each year is spent on technology; another $600,000 on roof repairs; and up to $600,000 on purchasing school buses. This fund cannot be used to pay salaries.

The fund helps the district maintain its facilities to “continue to be a destination district where kids can come into a warm, inviting, safe and secure buildings,” Kortemeyer said.

If PPEL is renewed, Linn-Mar would use the funds for school security upgrades, including doors and locking systems; technology infrastructure improvements; roof repairs and replacements; school restroom updates; parking lot improvements; heating and cooling system maintenance; and the annual replacement of three to four buses.

Revenue from PPEL also is funding aspects of Linn-Mar’s five year facility master plan. Projects are:

Leaders at Marion Independent schools are working toward the district doing all of its snow removal in-house — a large task some years. This January alone, the Eastern Iowa area received about 2 feet of snow.

“That’s going to take some substantial purchases,” such as two more snow plows and more efficient equipment to clean off the sidewalks, Scott said. Those purchases could be made with PPEL funds.

Marion Independent also purchases a new school bus every year with PPEL funds. The high school is undergoing some projects funded by PPEL, including updating the heating and cooling system and upgrading to more energy-efficient lights.

Cedar Rapids district votes in September

Voters in the Cedar Rapids Community School District also will be asked to consider extending the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy for an additional 10 years. This vote will go to voters in September 2024.

These funds support the maintenance and upkeep of the Cedar Rapids schools’ 425 acres and 2.7 million square feet of building space.

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