Lincoln Elementary rendering

Members of the community, students and Warsaw Community School Corporation staff and personnel met today to discuss WCS’s accomplishments, as well as plans for the future.

During this core planning session, Dr. David Hoffert, WCS superintendent, took a moment to thank the numerous supporters of the WCS referendum — which will allow for the rebuilding of Lincoln Elementary, the remodeling of Edgewood Middle School and repairs to Washington Elementary. Those thanked included Jeff Plank, chairman of the Friends of WCS support group that helped raise awareness about the need for the referendum to pass.

Hoffert noted that after winning with a landslide vote of 65 percent, the referendum’s planning process is already underway. Currently, the corporation is preparing to hire a criteria director who will look at the project as a whole and provide specs to architects to design the school.

Hoffert proposed the new Lincoln Elementary be built in an unused greenway at the corner of the lot.
(all photos provided by WCS)

Following this, a request for qualifications will be sent out to area architects who will supply their credentials for the board’s consideration. Three will be selected and a request for proposals will then be cast. Hoffert noted architects will put a lot of time and money into designing what the school will look like based directly on the needs of students and staff.

Following a very tight timeline, Hoffert stated the goal is to have shovels in the ground in October and children in the new Lincoln Elementary by next October.

According to Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott, the project is estimated to cost no more than $37,000,800 and would increase property taxes for the school’s debt service fund no more than 13.8 cents per $100 of assessed valuation over the 20 years of the bond.

Scott explained that for a home assessed with a $100,000 value subtractions such as a homestead deduction, supplemental deduction and mortgage deduction would leave an equal net assessed value of $32,750, the amount that will be taxed.

That amount is then divided by 100 and multiplied by $0.138 to equal $45.85 yearly or $3.82 per month. Roughly the cost of a gallon of milk.

The average home value within the school corporation, per the US Census Bureau is $132k. With an assessed 13.8 cents applied, the tax rate impact would be $6.20 monthly. Comparatively, a $200k home would pay an estimated $15 per month.

[To read about the other projects in the Facility Plan see: WCS Presents Facility Plan: Lincoln Elementary,WCS Presents Facility Plan: Washington Elementary, WCS Presents Facility Plan: Edgewood Middle School]