The Fountain Hills Unified School District Governing Board held a work study session last Tuesday, May 24. The Board discussed potential land sale and bond proposals and decided to only put one of the two on the ballot in November.

The Board discussed the value of both options, and interim Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sweeney presented PowerPoint slides with estimated land values from May 13, 2022, provided by Nathan & Associates, and then more slides with estimated tax impacts from a bond provided by Stifel Public Finance.

The Board decided to go in the direction of a bond proposal. The district’s financial needs can be addressed sooner with bond money, since they would receive that money soon after voter approval. There is no timetable for a potential land sale, so the district would have to wait an unknown amount of time after approval to see those funds.

The Board can’t take action at work study sessions, but members did ask Sweeney to prepare documentation for a bond proposal. Sweeney will present the information to the Board at a meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Wednesday June 1, when the Board will vote to put items on the November ballot.

While the Board separated the bond and land sale, the bond will not be the only item voted on tonight. The Board also will vote on the District Addition Assistance (DAA) Override. The Board only votes whether or not the item will be an election item in November, and come November, it will be the residents of Fountain Hills’ turn to vote.

“That’s what we’ve asked him to prepare for the meeting,” Board president Nadya Jenkins said. “Based on the non-vote but clear opinions of Board members this evening, what will be presented to the Board in our meeting next week on June 1 to either pass or fail as Board action items will be to call for a DAA election and a call for a bond.”

The Board looked at scenarios for a $10 million bond and a $20 million bond. The tax rate would remain consistent with previous bonds passed by Fountain Hills, 23 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. A $10 million bond’s tax rates would depreciate faster and sooner, but the Board was concerned a $10 million bond would be too small for FHUSD’s needs.

Most of the district’s urgent needs outlined by a recent Gordian report could be covered by a $10 million bond, but Gordian’s report also said FHUSD needed nearly $30 million over the next 10 years to fix and maintain FHUSD facilities. There were concerns from Board members that if they voted for a $10 million bond, then they will have to put another bond up for election sooner.

The DAA Override, which failed to pass last year, covers technological and curriculum needs for students and staff of FHUSD schools. The bond would be put toward bigger projects, like replacing old air conditioning units and old roofs at the schools.

Sweeney mentioned that even if it passes, the bond money won’t come in until July 1, 2023, and FHUSD has to survive with the roughly $3 million they have currently until then. The Board will provide information to voters regarding specifics after they make their decision tonight. The Board’s deadline to mail the public information pamphlet is Oct. 4, 35 days before the election. Early voting begins October 12.

Also during the meeting, the Board discussed security measures in lieu of last Tuesday’s latest school shooting that resulted in over 20 deaths at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

Several years ago, FHUSD had a security evaluation conducted by Homeland Security through the Maricopa County Sherriff’s Office. Board members asked if there were any actions left to take from the last evaluation, and then they asked Sweeney to help set up another security evaluation in the near future.