Wellington schools seek $22.6M bond to fix aging infrastructure
Students rally for passage as district points to critical needs across buildings
WELLINGTON, Kan. — Voters in Wellington will decide Nov. 4 whether to approve a $22.6 million general obligation bond that the school district says is needed to address deteriorating infrastructure across its seven buildings.
The bond would fund repairs and improvements throughout USD 353, with particular focus on the middle school, where cafeteria walls require repair, a small theater needs extensive work, and leaks are widespread. The heating systems at Wellington High School, built 25 years ago, are also slated for upgrades.
"It's going to help with some repairs with our main areas, our cafeteria walls. Our little theater is in much need of repair with seating, extensive leaks," said Bob Meyer, principal of Wellington Middle School. "We would be confined to only being able to do small projects along the way; maybe a big project every once in a while, but it would not be the amount we are asking for that we need to be able to do lots of projects to keep things up and running," added Adam Hatfi, the district's superintendent.
The bond, if approved, would include funding for new roofing for every district building, expected to last 30 years.
Students from Wellington High School organized a rally Friday in support of the measure, speaking openly about conditions within their schools. Georgia Shinliver, a sophomore, cited the building's temperature struggles.
"Our school is very cold, and in the winter, we're gonna need to get our heat upgraded. We won't be going to school in the winter most likely, unless we get it fixed," Shinliver said.
Senior Lyndi Barton echoed concerns about the condition of the school. "It's in really rough shape, and I don't know if people know how bad it is," she said.
However, the bond faces opposition from residents concerned about the impact on property taxes. The bond would increase the mill levy by 5.631 mills. The district acknowledged the concerns, with officials calling the situation a "necessary evil" given the resource constraints.
Wellington is not a wealthy community and does not have a large tax base, making any tax increase unpopular with some residents. However, district officials note that without the bond, the conditions of deteriorating schools will only worsen over time.
A key difference between this bond and previous ones is the level of state support. The state will pay only 25 percent of annual debt service payments for the 2025 bond, compared to 71 percent for previous bond issues, meaning a larger portion will fall on local taxpayers.
The district receives some capital outlay funding from the state to maintain its facilities, but officials say those dollars do not cover the extensive repairs needed.
"Capital Outlay dollars to help maintain its facilities are not enough to add up to the total repair and maintenance needed over time," the district stated. "That is the reason that school districts run bond issues periodically to make sure large, expensive projects can be completed and facilities can be maintained."
The district serves approximately 1,500 students across seven schools and employs about 260 staff members. Voters will head to the polls in four weeks to decide whether to move forward with the improvements.