Whitefish voters this fall will consider separate bond requests totaling $32.6 million to fund a high school expansion and remodel, and build an on-campus football stadium and track.
Whitefish School Board trustees voted unanimously April 9 to put the bond questions on the September ballot.
Whitefish voters last October turned down a $33.7 million bond issue that would have funded both the high school expansion and a more robust athletic facility project in one fell swoop. In that scenario, $22.1 million of the bond would have funded the school expansion and $11.6 million would have funded the sports facilities.
Due to an increase in construction costs, the high school expansion work is now estimated at $26.5 million. A revised and scaled-back plan for the sports fields is pegged at $6.1 million.
If the high school bond is passed, taxes on a home valued at $600,000 would increase by $88.04 in the first year. Approval of the athletic improvement bond would increase taxes on a $600,000 home by $26.33 in the first year.
District Clerk Lucie Shea said the proposal to split up the bond votes came as a result of feedback from a post-election survey that indicated voters were likely to support the school expansion with a less expensive sports facilities component.
“We listened to what the community had to say and they were very adamant about reducing the scope [of the athletic complex],” Shea told trustees at the meeting.
She said that even though the new sports facility concept is $5.5 million less than the previous proposal, the overall savings of both bonds combined is only $1.1 million.
“All of it is inflationary costs in the construction business,” she explained.
The high school project would add classrooms, labs and shops, renovate the school’s kitchen and the Whitefish Independent High School, and expand the CTE facilities. It would also expand an existing multipurpose room near the gym and enhance the STEM facilities.
District officials contend the expansion is needed to accommodate increased enrollment. The expansion plan is designed for 15 to 20 years of growth.
Trustees had a lengthy discussion about the scaled back sports facility plan after Katie Clarke questioned why tennis courts weren’t included.
The new plan includes a new 10-lane track and field, and a district-owned football field with a 1,500-seat grandstand. The site would also include facilities for ticketing, concessions and restrooms, additional parking and a practice field.
Currently the district leases Memorial Field for football games.
“It’s not rational to say we’re going to have every sport on district property,” Board Chair Darcy Schellinger said about the new plan to hone in on a football stadium.
“Football is a community building event. I see a real need for the football stadium to be brought onto school property.”
Trustee Elizabeth Pitman agreed, noting that the football field hasn’t seen improvements in many years.
“That football field has not changed or had anything done to it for as long as I can remember,” Pitman said. “It’s the exact same football field I went to as a kid.”
Trustee Todd Lengacher said that going forward the district should consider creating a long-term athletic facility plan that assesses each sports’ needs.
“A 20-year plan that looks at everything,” he said.
Read More: Voters to decide on bonds for school expansion, football stadium