This spring, the school board wanted to hear from the community about future facility plans and whether we should take a bond referendum to the voters this fall. The board provided various opportunities with four listening sessions and a survey. We then had two town hall meetings to openly discuss what we heard and give the community another chance to provide input on our next steps. Below is a video of our town hall meeting for you to review.

The following conclusions were determined:

1. Reduce the Tax Impact

   • The board will keep the bond levy at $2.70 for the Phase II project. This would mean around a $9.44 per month increase for the average homeowner (note: the average home is $250,000. )

2. Remove the Gym from Phase II but maintain it for future phases.

   • Most people agree that we need to make many facility improvements at the Hinton Middle School/High School

   • Focus on improving the infrastructure of the building and improving the learning environment.

3. Develop Long Term Facilities Plan

   • Phase 1 - Current Project (funded by SAVE funds that have no property tax impact.

   • Phase 2 - Potential Projects

     • Window Replacements

     • Secure Entrance

     • Science and CTE (Career Technical Education) Renovations

     • Elementary Special Education Room

     • Boiler Plant Improvements

     • Steam/hot water boiler replacements

     • Roofing Area A&C

     • Door Replacements

     • Remaining Floor, Ceiling, and Electrical Improvements

     • New Drive and Parking Improvements

     • ADA Accessibility

   • Phase 3 - Future Plans

     • Additional Infrastructure Improvements

     • Additional Classroom Additions and Improvements

     • Extra-curricular Improvements

       • Athletics

         • Gymnasium

         • Locker rooms

         • Outdoor Complex

         • ADA Accessibility

       • Fine Arts

         • Stage Improvements

         • ADA Accessibility

         • Lighting/Sound/Acoustics

The school board's next step is to decide on the project's scope for a bond referendum. Upon deciding on the project's scope, the board will petition the community to approve a question asked at the November election.

The Phase 1 project has used up all our bonding capacity with SAVE Funds. This means that future projects will need to be funded through a bond referendum on property taxes. The Voted-PPEL funds and some limited SAVE funds will assist us in maintaining and addressing other facility, technology, and transportation needs. The school board takes its role as a responsible financial steward seriously. In the past, it has successfully paid off other projects faster to save taxpayers money.

Once the school year ended, construction crews began working on a project funded by SAVE Bond revenue, which did not affect property taxes. The project's cost was $5,941,500. Below are pictures showing the demolition work and the progress made on the project improvements. The asbestos abatement has already been finished. The contractors involved in this project are L&L Builders, Ward Electric, CW Suter, and Impact7/REW Services, with Sitelogiq serving as the construction manager. We are grateful for the dedication of our contractors and workers. Several of them have ties to Hinton and have a personal investment in the success of this project. It's great to see them "ALL IN" for us.

1. Ventilation - Provide better air quality for students and staff.

2. More Efficient heating and cooling.

3. Invest in building to keep viable into the future.

As we gear up for the 2024-2025 school year, we are thrilled to introduce our latest new hires. They are all eager to get started and we know they will do great. Let's SOAR!