FAQs | Oberlin Facilities

What is the bond amount that will be on the ballot?

The total cost of the project is $16,500,000, which will be on the November 4 ballot. While our community will initially be responsible for the full $16.5 million, the school plans to apply for approximately $3.5 million in reimbursements through historic state tax credits, potentially taking the final cost down to $13 million. This bond is 12 million dollars less than the previous bond. We will pay for the full project upfront. The tax credits are available to us after the project is finished. This funding is designed to reduce the long-term cost of facility updates for taxpayers, based on the current state program guidelines.

What will the project accomplish?

We're focusing on what matters most. This project addresses academic needs and reliable basics that students need to learn: reliable heating, working plumbing, dependable electricity, safety and accessibility. We kept only the updates the community told us were most important:

Replace 60-year-old plumbing, HVAC and electrical
Remove asbestos
Make the school ADA accessible – Everyone will be able to access our school

The proposed bond project creates a unified K–12 campus to address critical needs for safety, security, ADA accessibility, and classroom needs. It includes remodeling 113,561 square feet of existing space and adding 8,500 square feet for classrooms and a kitchen.

Renovations are organized into light, medium, and heavy remodels to make the most of our budget while ensuring code compliance and necessary HVAC, plumbing, safety system and electrical upgrades. Additional improvements include a new playground for elementary students and a dedicated drop-off lane to improve traffic flow and student safety.

Students and staff will also benefit from shared resources including a media center, cafeteria, auditorium, and gymnasiums, creating a safe, efficient, and collaborative learning environment for all grade levels.

Elementary (Pre-K–6): Housed in the original 1938 portion of DCJ/SHS, with its own secure entrance on the west with a dedicated drop-off lane.

Middle & High School (7–12): Located in the 1966 addition, with a separate secure entrance off of the parking lot.

Additional improvements include a playground for elementary students and a dedicated drop-off lane to improve traffic flow and student safety.

We’ve heard around town there is a “better way” to do this. We are all ears!

We are very grateful for the community suggestion to pursue historical tax credits, and we added it to our plan. It should return $3.5 million to the community. Thank you!

We are open to more suggestions for cost improvements, efficiencies and other approaches to meet our urgent facility needs. We have folded together years of research and community feedback to create the best solution possible. Please continue to provide community feedback!

What is different from the last bond?

Alternate Funding: our updates are eligible for historic tax credits of approximately $3.5 million returned to the community after the project is complete.

Less Expensive: the scope of the project was reduced by twelve million dollars. By combining schools and remodeling existing space, we are making the most of every dollar spent.

Back to Basics: this project focuses on improving the safety and accessibility of our school. Plans include installing a fire sprinkler system, removing asbestos, and making school entrances secure and wheelchair accessible.

How will the bond affect my taxes?

Property Tax Calculator

Please visit the tax calculator to enter your own property values to see your projected annual tax impact.

The bond would add 18.75 mills to the school’s levy for property taxes. Here's how it affects homeowners:

The median home in Decatur County is worth $78,500 (half of homes are worth less, half are worth more).
But you don't pay taxes on the full value - only on 11.5% (0.115) of it. This is your assessed value.
A mill is one thousandth of a dollar, or $0.001
Here's how the calculation works on a home with a median market value:

$78,500 home value × 0.115 (to calculate 11.5%) = $9,028 assessed value

18.75 mills X $0.001 of a dollar = $169.27 total each year, or $14.11 per month.

The bottom line: If your family owns a home in the middle of our district’s price range, this school project would cost you about $14 more each month in property taxes, or $170 more per year.

Note: The same type of calculation applies to businesses and farmland, but they use different percentages to figure out the taxable value. Please visit the tax calculator to enter your own property values to see your projected annual tax impact.

What did the community survey say?

We listened to residents: The survey showed nearly half support a $15 million project. The school board kept the plan as close to that number as the urgent facility needs would allow — and found a way to reduce the cost to taxpayers even further. Our updates are eligible for historic tax credits of approximately $3.5 million returned to the community after the project is complete.

In the survey, supporters of the facility upgrades also showed strong support for the one-campus solution as the most efficient financial path forward because it saves money now and in the future.

What will happen to the elementary school building after students move?

The expert who consulted with the board about the historic tax credits was optimistic that our elementary building would appeal to private developers. She works with similar buildings across Kansas and knows what buyers look for. In addition, private developers qualify for an extra 20% in tax credits that the school is not eligible for, which makes it more attractive for developers.

The school will ask for proposals and pick the best option for our community, working with the historic tax consultant to identify buyers. We encourage community members to offer input.

Is now a good time for this project with the economy?

Yes. Construction costs have increased since the project was first discussed several years ago. We want to be proactive and address facility needs now and not wait for costs to increase. Additionally, the school is a major employer in town and participates in the local economy.

What are historic tax credits?

Kansas offers historic tax credits to help pay for restoring older, historic buildings. Our school is eligible for these tax credits, which means the district can get back a percentage of the money spent on approved renovations. However, the credit isn’t received until the work is completely finished. That means the school will still need to borrow the full amount upfront to pay for the project. Once the credits are received and then sold to investors for cash, they can be used to lower the long-term cost of the bond, which helps reduce the total cost to taxpayers over time.

Does Oberlin have enough students now and in the future to make this work?

Yes. In the past 10 years, the school district has gone from 335 students to 396 students, a net gain of 61 students.

Is this needed because we failed to provide necessary repairs to our schools?

No. An independent audit proved that our schools have been well cared for. The school district’s annual budget for repairs and upgrades is not enough to cover major facility projects. The current budget covers everything from cleaning, mowing and upkeep to repairs and replacements. This cannot stretch far enough to cover large projects in addition to everything else our maintenance staff accomplishes.

That’s why most schools use a bond to pay for big, long-term projects. Replacing major systems like plumbing, HVAC, electrical, safety features, and accessibility improvements costs much more than the schools can pay for year by year.

Who selected this plan, and how did they choose this proposal?

Our Board of Education selected this approach after reading independent facility audits, reviewing our schools’ needs and listening to community input. In the summer of 2024, a survey was sent out so the board could hear directly from parents, staff, and community members. Over the past five years, the board has examined more than a dozen different options and budgets to see what would best meet the schools’ and community’s needs. This plan was chosen because it addresses the most urgent facility problems while also keeping the long-term cost to the community as low as possible—about $13 million after historic tax credits.

Why aren’t there specific floorplans for this project?

To save taxpayer dollars, the school district will not start detailed building design until voters approve the bond. The plans you see now are basic layouts that show where classrooms could go and how much space is needed. It would not be smart to spend money on full building plans before we know if the community supports this project. Our architect has given us enough information to create a budget and make sure this approach will work.

Once the bond passes, the design process begins in detail. That process includes working directly with teachers, staff, and administrators to develop the educational program and ensure that every classroom and support area reflects the school’s actual needs.

By waiting until after the bond passes, we ensure that the final floor plans are designed with input from those who use the building every day. This way, the design is efficient and truly supportive of student learning.

Can we tackle these issues a little bit at a time and save the taxpayers money?

It’s more cost-efficient for taxpayers to do repairs at once. Fixing one issue at a time might sound cheaper, but in practice it is inefficient in labor costs and often causes extra work. Many of the school’s biggest needs are connected—like electrical, plumbing, heating, and safety systems—so opening up the same areas of the building year after year adds cost. Major construction can only happen while students are out of the building, which means all these separate projects would have to fit into the three-month summer break. Spreading the work out would also require bringing in subcontractors time after time, adding extra mobilization costs. Addressing the needs in one coordinated project avoids rework, reduces long-term costs, and provides updated spaces for students sooner.

Who can vote in this election?

Registered voters living within the USD 294 school district are eligible to vote in the school bond election.

Will the elementary students use the public park playground?

The current plan includes an elementary playground on school property. The board plans to meet with the City of Oberlin to determine if it makes sense to partner and share resources.

How did the school select the architect & construction management firm?

The school board followed Kansas law to hire the most qualified professionals. The district published a request for qualifications in the newspaper and invited all interested firms to apply. From these submissions, the board reviewed every firm's experience and interviewed the top candidates. Finally, the board selected the firm that offered the best value for their services.

After the school bond passes, the architect will advance from schematic design into detailed design and produce construction documents. Once construction documents are complete, all divisions of work will be competitively bid and open to any qualified contractor. The total bond amount cannot exceed $16,500,000.

Will teachers and staff lose their jobs when schools combine?

No. USD 294 already runs with a slim staff, and we need all of our teachers and support staff to meet the needs of our students. Sharing resources on one campus will allow us to be more efficient, safer because staff won't be pulled between two campuses, and better able to provide specialized programs and support services that smaller schools can't offer on their own.

Combining schools may help us keep teachers by creating a stronger, more stable work environment where staff can focus on one location instead of splitting time between buildings.

Did you stage the elementary building to look its worst during tours and the videos? It doesn’t always look that bad, does it?

No. We understand concerns about the condition of the building. However, we assure you that the building was presented in its typical daily state, without any alterations to influence perceptions. The issues observed—such as water-stained ceilings, inadequate facilities, and maintenance challenges—are ongoing and reflect the current conditions our students and staff experience regularly. Our goal in showing the facility was to provide a transparent and accurate representation of the environment, highlighting the genuine need for improvements to ensure a safe and effective learning space for all.

View the virtual tour here.