Harney County School District 3

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

How much will the project cost and how much will taxpayers pay for the bonds?

The district is seeking to have taxpayers approve $8 million in bonds, but the state will contribute another $4 million IF the bond measure is approved by voters. If the ballot measure does not pass, the district will NOT receive the $4 million. It is estimated that the bond measure will increase about $.45 per thousand of assessed value, which equates to $45 for a property worth $100,000.

How long will it take to pay off the bonds and what is the estimated tax rate?

30 years. The bond that was passed in 2005 for $2,700,00 is scheduled to be paid off in the year 2026. The tax rate will go $.45/$1,000 to $1.04/$1,000 starting in the 2021 tax year. Part of the taxes will continue to pay off the 2005 bond, while the other part will be collected as part of the new bonds. See our page regarding finances for more detailed information, including graphs that show how the two would be connected. 

When will voters be voting on the measure?

Election date is Tuesday, May 19th.  Local ballots will be mailed April 29th, Military and overseas ballots mailed out April 1st, and out of state ballots are mailed out April 28th 

When will taxpayers see a tax increase?

This will not take effect for taxpayers until the 2021 tax year. 

When will construction start and finish?

We anticipate that construction would start in the Spring of 2021, but will not know a completion date for the entire project until it goes out to bid. We are hopeful that a majority of the project would be done by the Fall of 2021 though. 

Can the funds be used for staffing or other items or is it just for construction projects?

The funds can only be used for capital improvement projects as listed on the election ballot. The funds cannot and will not be used to fund staffing.

How does the district plan to consolidate buildings and grade levels and why?

Consolidating facilities will help us focus our resources on fewer facilities in order to optimize funds and programs. This will definitely save money and improve programs and open up opportunities for students. The plan is to close down the Lincoln building completely and either sell it or mothball it until we can sell it appropriately. We also plan to move students out of Hines Middle School by placing 6th grade at Slater and 7th and 8th grade at BHS. Additions will be built onto both buildings to accommodate the increased number of students. District office staff and the IT department will move to HMS where we will keep the gym and office space occupied for school and community use. The classroom spaces of the building will not be heated or used for students. 

Why did the district not just request enough money to build all new schools or one large one to fit everyone?

The district had our facilities professionally assessed and it was determined to be more cost effective to renovate rather than build brand new. A new facility would have cost between $30-40 million and would cost taxpayers 4-5 times more than the current increased estimate of $.45/$1,000. 

Will 6th grade students fit at Slater?

Four new classrooms will be added onto Slater to accommodate the students as well as having the cafeteria and music room expanded.

What steps will be taken to keep 7th and 8th grade students separate from high school students?

Through scheduling and the actual physical location of classrooms, 7th and 8th grade classes and lunch periods will be separate from the high school whenever possible. However, there may be instances where it may be advantageous to integrate classes such as Algebra or Geometry, which are generally 9th and 10th grade courses.

Will staff members lose their jobs?

No. We do anticipate that by consolidating facilities, we will become more efficient, but any job consolidation or loss would happen through attrition.

How will HMS staff be split up?

Staff will be able to first volunteer to teach at different locations, taking into account staff licensure. The district will honor requests before involuntarily transferring anyone.

Where will HMS athletes practice sports?

7th and 8th grade students will use the newly constructed gym that will be built onto the high school for practices. The new facility will also have a wrestling room. Games may be played in the large BHS gym or could even be played in the new gym or the old HMS gym. Details to follow should the measure be passed by voters. 

How much access with 7th and 8th students have to electives?

Because 7th - 12th grade staff will be under the same roof, the plan is to start looking at opportunities in the schedule such as woodshop, welding, advanced classes, and others that may give our students more learning opportunities.

What happens when a school district fails to pass a bond that was awarded a matching grant in the OSCIM Program?

Districts will not receive actual funds until voters approve a local GO bond measure and the district signs a grant agreement. Thus, if the OSCIM Program commits to a district and the district does not pass its local GO bond, then those funds will not be distributed to that district. Instead, the funds will be awarded to the next district on the waitlist that passed a bond.

Why will the funds be awarded to the next district in line instead of rolled forward to the next funding cycle?

There are three reasons for this. The first is that if funds keep being rolled forward to the next election, then at the end of the biennium, it is possible that the OSCIM Program will have leftover funds because not enough districts passed a bond. It would be difficult to sort back through the elections to determine which districts that passed a bond should receive the matching grant. The second reason is that while the primary goal is to encourage districts to pass bonds, the secondary goal is to provide state funding to help address the significant deferred maintenance backlog in Oregon schools. By providing the funds to the next district in line that passed a bond, the OSCIM Program is achieving that objective. Finally, Districts will know where they stand on the waiting list prior to the bond measure text deadline, and those that rank high may be able to use that information to assist voters in making an informed decision.

If a district does not receive a commitment in one grant period, does the district have any additional priority in the second grant period?

Each grant period is a self-contained list. Thus, a district that did not receive funds in one grant period would have to reapply in the next grant period and be considered with all other applications in the next grant period.