Education
ASD Board reviews capital needs plan and priorities, hints at potential tax increase
The Alpine School District (ASD) Board of Education met Tuesday to review the district’s capital needs plan and priorities heading into 2024.
The presentation began with a recap of the district’s facility numbers. ASD has 92 schools, including 60 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, 11 high schools, and seven specialty schools, totaling over 10 million square feet of facilities for the district’s 84,703 students.
District staffers presented a list of five funding priorities:
• Increased funding for maintaining current facilities (HVAC, safety items and roofing needs). The staff is asking for $17 million annually for the next three years, an increase from the current $14.5 million yearly for maintenance.
• The purchase of 14-classroom satellite structures for Westlake High School at an estimated cost of $3.5 million. The purchase of additional trailers for full-day kindergarten in elementary schools for $1 million.
• $11 million to complete the purchase of 50 acres in south Saratoga Springs for a future high school and $6 million for design work relating to the new Saratoga Springs high school, including ATEC West.
• Funds for boundary studies in Alpine, Cedar Hills, Eagle Mountain, Highland, Lehi, Lindon, North Orem, Saratoga Springs, and Vineyard.
Boundary adjustments for Lehi elementary schools are still part of the Board’s discussions.
“We’re suggesting we go back to look at moving students from North Point to River Rock, River Rock to Snow Springs, and Dry Creek to Meadow,” said Director of Internal Communications Kimberly Bird.
Projections for increased student populations at those Lehi schools (through 2027) are:
• North Point increasing from 992 current students to 1,255
• River Rock from 957 students to 836
• Snow Springs from 752 to 726
• Dry Creek rising from 1,081 to 1,173
• Meadow from 628 to 591
The Board agreed with the staff’s funding priorities but asked them to bring back an aggressive funding plan, including a new Saratoga Springs High School, which will also house the ATEC West program.
“This model was built on current funding. If the Board would like to go after additional funding (tax increase), then things can be added to it,” responded Superintendent Shane Farnsworth to the additional board requests.
“One thing we have been working on in finance is moving from general obligation bonds to tax increments. We would put some of those dollars in a fund for construction and then pay cash for new builds. I believe this is a solid and sure way to fund what we need–but incredibly slow. Another positive to this is it helps everyone across the district in the event that a district reconfiguration does happen. What it doesn’t do is address critical needs now,” said Lehi board member Stacy Bateman in a social media post on Thursday, Jan. 25.
