BIGFORK — Swan River School in Bigfork is a small K-8 district that was originally established in 1893.
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The school district is now putting a building reserve levy in front of voters this September, the first time a bond or levy has been requested in more than 20 years.
If approved, the $1.5 million levy would run over a 10-year period, collecting annual installments of $150,000.
Principal Josh Lee said funds are badly needed to modernize heating infrastructure throughout the school.
“We have four basically residential furnaces, electric furnaces that heat our elementary wing, and they are inconsistent, plus they’re pushing 20 to 25 years old,” said Lee.
Lee said the school district had to dip into reserve funds last year to replace nine heat pumps totaling more than $660,000.
“We dipped into our reserve already to complete that, and then we also took out a loan to get that project done, and so we’re maxing ourselves out,” added Lee.
Swan River School Board Chair Luke Adamson said upgraded high-efficiency electric furnaces would bring consistent heating and cooling methods throughout the building.
“We’re to a point here with the facility where a lot of systems are aging out, and they just can’t last any longer,” said Adamson.
If approved, the levy would also strengthen security measures at 16 different entrance points throughout the school.
“Being able to update some camera systems, update our doors, our locking systems and then just some procedural things would go a long way to make sure that we continue to provide a safe building for our students and families,” said Lee.
If the building reserve levy passes, a home with a taxable value of $600,000 would see annual taxes increase by approximately $49 a year.
“We’re trying to keep it the bare minimum of what we have to ask, because we’re not trying to raise everybody’s taxes for no reason, and we feel like there is a real need for this, and that’s why we’re asking for that money through the levy,” said Adamson.
