Indian River School District Director of Business and Finance Patrick Miller admitted that he had some concerns. For weeks, the district had held more than a dozen meetings to educate the public on issues surrounding its March 28 referendum. Unfortunately, hardly anyone attended.
Miller thought the trend might continue on Tuesday, when the three-part referendum went to a vote. But about 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, Miller relaxed when district employee Dave Maull entered the Indian River High School cafeteria and announced the referendum results.
More than 4,200 district residents voted on Tuesday, with the majority voting in favor of each of three questions on the ballot, agreeing to pay an additional 25.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value in the next two years for district expenses.
“I’m elated and excited that our taxpayers agreed to support us,” Miller said. “I’m not surprised, but I was worried after we had poor attendance at the meetings.”
Miller said that the turnout for the vote was average for the Indian River District, coming in less than a record 8,437 people voting in a 2000 referendum — asking for funds to build the two new high schools. The voters showed more interest, however, than the district’s lowest turnout of 1,957, in a 1975 referendum. Maull said he was encouraged by what he also called an “average” turnout.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “Our residents are aware of what’s going on. It’s really nice that they care enough.”
The first question on Tuesday’s ballot – which residents passed by a vote of 2,315 to 1,971 — asked residents to pay an additional 13 cents per $100 of assessed property value in the next two years. That money will help the district fund maintenance projects, start-up costs at two recently-renovated district schools and rising energy costs. With the impending Delmarva Power rate increases starting May 1, Indian River schools will face a collective increase in annual energy costs of about 100 percent, Miller said. After paying $683,000 in energy expenses last year, Miller expects the district to pay about $1.3 million in the same expenses next year.
With the 2,378-to-1,885 vote for passage of the ballot’s second question, district officials will partially fund a 4 percent salary increase for district employees. In answering “yes” to the second question, residents agreed to pay an additional 11 cents per $100 of assessed property value in the next two years. Some 35 percent of district’s employees’ salaries are funded locally, with 65 percent coming from the state budget. Currently, the district ranks last or second-to-last in every salary category when compared to eight neighboring districts.
For weeks, Miller has explained that the salary increase was necessary to retain employees who have consistently produced students who have performed among the best on state tests.
While district residents convincingly passed the first and second questions on the district’s most recent referendum, the third passed by only about 250 votes. Residents only agreed to replace roofs on three district schools by a vote of 2,259 to 2,006.
With the third question’s passage, district officials will in the near future award contracts to replace leaking roofs on Selbyville Middle, North Georgetown and Long Neck Elementary schools. Although it was the closest vote on the ballot, it was the least costly. District residents will have to pay an additional 1.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value next year to fund the local portion — about $1.6 million — of the bond bill for the roofs.
The background on that referendum question: In the mid-1990’s, contractors decided to install shingled roofs instead of originally-planned metal so they wouldn’t exceeded the budget for the project, Miller said. Because they didn’t adjust the slope of the roofs after the change, he added, the schools have had leakage problems for more than a decade.
But with the passage of the referendum, that is just one of the district’s worries that will be remedied in the recent future.
“We are thrilled that district voters gave their approval,” Indian River Superintendent Lois Hobbs wrote in a prepared statement. “On behalf of the board of education and administrative staff, I send my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who voted for these worthwhile initiatives.”