Members of a committee working toward gaining approval for a school bond issue made a formal presentation to Leavenworth city commissioners during their study session on Tuesday.
“Schools, in our opinion, are the foundation of a community,” Mike Reilly said when he started explaining why voters need to approve a $57.8 million bond issue for improvements in the Leavenworth School District. “Quite frankly, our schools are struggling.”
As co-chairperson of the committee and a local real estate manager, Reilly said schools play an important role when it comes to attracting and retaining residents in the community.
“I know this because I see it first hand,” Reilly said. “I can tell you, we are being selected against.”
Reilly said other communities in the area are doing a better job of attracting new residents because they have invested in their schools. He cited Lansing, Basehor and Tonganoxie in Leavenworth County and the Piper community in western Wyandotte County as examples of communities that are experiencing growth because of recent investments in schools.
“They have all done a fantastic job of reinvesting in their school buildings,” Reilly said.
Although the Leavenworth School District has been successful at educating children, Reilly said many people judge schools based on how the buildings look during a first impression.
“We are not getting past the curb,” he said in reference to people not seeing quality educational opportunities in the district because the buildings are out-dated with limited technology and in need of improvements for safety concerns. “We need to pass this bond issue.”
Reilly said the proposed plan addresses the most important needs; limits the cost to residents; and moves the community forward.
As part of the plan, the number of elementary schools would be reduced from six to four buildings that would serve the four corners of the school district. Anthony and David Brewer would be upgraded and expanded to be comparable to Lawson. A new elementary school would be built at 20th and Vilas streets.
At Leavenworth High School, improvements and upgrades would be made to address air conditioning and heating; the security system; space limitations in classrooms; and the creation of more space in an activities facility.
If approved by voters in November, Reilly said the owner of a home valued at $100,000 would see an increase of $144 a year in property taxes. With the state paying 32 percent of the total cost, he said it is the most economically sound proposal for improvements.
“We all understand that $57.8 million is a lot of money for this district,” Reilly said. “It’s a sensible budget for our community.”
Reilly also said the timing of the bond issue is important because a similar plan in the future could cost more with an expected increase of anywhere between $2 and $3 million each year that passes without improvements in the district.
Bill Geiger, co-chairperson of the committee, also spoke about the bond issue.
“I can’t say enough how important it is to get our drive-by appeal up,” Geiger said.
Geiger said the plan also will save taxpayers money in the future with a consolidation of buildings and the closing of structures that were built in the 1920s.
“There’s a lot of positives,” Geiger said.
The committee had a video they were going to show during the meeting that highlights the plan and provides reasons why voters should support the bond issue.
However, due to technical difficulties, the video could not be played. Commissioners indicated the video would be aired on Channel 2, which is the city’s public access station for residents who subscribe to Time Warner cable.
Reilly said the committee has been making presentations and showing the video to various organizations and groups such as the Lions and Kiwanis clubs and churches.
“Our goal is to get as much information to the public as possible,” Reilly said.
A Web site has been established at www.yestoprogress.org that addresses questions related to the bond issue and reasons for supporting it.
“I support the issue whole-heartedly,” Commissioner Larry Dedeke said before he asked the committee about their plans for the vacated buildings and land.
“The district is looking at a lot of options,” Reilly said.
Geiger said the district will have two or three years to address issues related to buildings that would be closed if the bond issue passes.
“I’m just very excited about it,” Commissioner Laura Gasbarre said.
In other discussion:
* EMPLOYEE BENEFITS — Despite a last-minute request by representatives of Cushing Memorial Hospital, commissioners indicated they support the city staff’s recommendation to renew a contract with United HealthCare to provide medical insurance coverage for city employees.
Lona Lanter, human resources director, said the trend for increases in insurance premiums has been between 12 and 16 percent. However, based on a “long-term strategic partnership” agreement with UHC that was initiated in 2005, she said the renewal bid includes only a 6-percent increase in premiums.
Cushing representatives attended the meeting because the hospital’s parent company, Saint Luke’s Health System, will no longer be an in-service provider under UHC after February.
“It happens,” Mayor Lisa Weakley said after she cited her personal experiences with insurance companies that change institutions covered by policies. “This is only one year. I think it’s a good plan for our employees.”
Mike Crow, chairman of the Cushing Board of Directors, asked commissioners to consider requesting proposals from other insurance providers in order to ensure city employees would be covered by in-service rates if they went to either Cushing or Saint John Hospital.
“Cushing wants to provide cost-effective health insurance for city employees,” Crow said.
Crow said he believes the city can get a “better” policy if proposals are requested. He said Saint Luke’s refused to agree to UHC’s rates because the carrier was asking for more than what the non-profit hospital could afford.
“The system has drawn a line in the sand,” Crow said.
Ron Baker, chief executive officer of Cushing, said losing in-service access to Cushing means city employees will have to pay out-of-service premiums if they need services offered by the Saint Luke’s Health System’s numerous hospitals.
“I’m looking at it from a business aspect,” Dedeke said when he asked Baker and Crow why Saint John could afford UHC’s rates but Cushing could not.
Cushing representatives said they asked no more of UHC than what other insurance carriers are paying the health system. Crow said he thinks there would be no harm in at least requesting proposals from other carriers.
“We’ve been down that road before,” Weakley said in reference to the city changing carriers in the past.
Lanter said the last time the city changed carriers it created an “awful” situation throughout the year of the contract. She said maintaining consistency has been a major benefit for employees, which was a factor that led the Employee Council to unanimously support UHC even without Cushing being a part of the network.
Lanter also assured commissioners that UHC would provide in-service coverage at Cushing if an employee has a “true” emergency and is taken to the hospital.
“I have yet to see one denied for in-network if it was truly an emergency,” Lanter said.
