School board asks city for $2.5M

The Whitefish School District Board of

Trustees is asking city council to up the amount of TIF money

they’re willing to put toward lowering a bond request to build a

new $19 million high school. Instead of the $1.75 million first

suggested by city council, the school district would like to see a

$2.5 million commitment.

Their aim, board chairwoman Pat Jarvi

said, is to get the bond request down to $14 million.

“We think we stand a much better chance

of passing a bond if we get that figure down to $14 million,” Jarvi

said.

At a special meeting on Dec. 16 the

board voted to direct district superintendent Kate Orozco to send a

letter to the city regarding the $2.5 million request.

In the letter she wrote, “In a previous

straw poll on Nov. 7, the council unanimously supported committing

funds to the project at the level of $1.75 million, which was the

combination of a $1 million upfront commitment related to the

passage of a school bond plus a $750,000 challenge grant offered in

an effort to encourage private fundraising.

“Since that time, private fundraising

efforts were commenced and generated significant feedback from

consistent local donors indicating they require the city to make a

commitment, prior to contributing any private funds.”

She said the proposed bond amount of

$15 million needs to be reduced to $14 million to demonstrate

fiscal restraint. The school will also put $1 million of their own

TIF funds toward lowering the bond.

City Manager Chuck Stearns said city

council will review the request at the next meeting in January. The

mayor, however, could call a special meeting before then.

New council members John Anderson,

Richard Hildner and Frank Sweeney will officially take their seat

at the next regular meeting, while current councilor John Muhlfeld

will be sworn in as mayor.

Each of the incoming councilors said

during the election they support the high school bond, but have not

put a dollar amount on how much they think the city should

give.

Outgoing councilor Turner Askew, who

initiated the idea of city support for the high school bond, said

he will encourage the new council to consider the school board’s

request for more money.

Some city councilors at the regular

Dec. 5 meeting said the city shouldn’t set a maximum on how much

the city will put toward lowering the bond.

Councilor Bill Kahle said he wasn’t

comfortable with pinning down a set figure. The $1.75 million

option, he said, was a minimum, not the maximum he’d consider.

Councilor Phil Mitchell said he didn’t

agree with the $1.75 million option and that the city should look

to give more.

Councilor Chris Hyatt noted that it

could be difficult to find private donations to back the bond.

“I look at three very gifted

fundraisers who finally got the auditorium done,” he said,

referring to the number of years it took to pay for the Whitefish

Middle School auditorium remodel.

To help reach the $14 to $15 million

mark, the school district said they would put $1 million from the

TIF money they already receive toward furnishing a new school. They

also said they are looking at raising $500,000 in private funds to

build a performing arts area proposed for the new school.

A reported $1 million pledge from the

Iron Horse Foundation may not happen, Jarvi said, and isn’t being

factored into their calculations for a bond request.

At the school board meeting last week

the board voted to use mail-in ballots. Trustee Charlie Abell was

the lone dissenting vote.

The school board will vote in January

to set the final bond amount.