On May 16, 2023, the Baldwin voters will be given an opportunity to vote for a bond issue, not to exceed $25 million, in an effort to address the following educational, safety & security, and outdoor learning & activity needs.
Jump to the Bond Calculator below.
What is included in the proposed bond project?
Based on the feedback and recommendations made by the students, staff, community, school administrators and local school board members, the district seeks to accomplish the following projects: Educational Improvements, Safety & Security Improvements, Outdoor Learning & Activities
A summary of the projects which would be made possible by the passing of this bond, as well as mock-ups of some of the spaces, can be found in the presentation linked below. Use the link to view the presentation online, or click the button to download it to view offline later.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a school bond issue?
A bond is a state-approved funding process for a set scope of projects. When voters approve a bond, the school district sells bonds in the authorized amount and uses the proceeds of the sale to pay for those projects in the bond.
In many ways, the bonding process is like a homeowner obtaining a mortgage and making payments over a period of years. School bond elections require a simple majority to pass (50 percent plus one).
When is the election and who can vote?
The election will be held Tuesday, May 16, 2023, and will be open to all registered voters in the USD 348 district.
The last day to Register To Vote to participate in this election is April 25, 2023. Early voting will begin April 26, 2023. On election day, voters can cast their ballot at their typical precinct locations.
You can register to vote online at https://www.kdor.ks.gov/Apps/VoterReg/Registration/Index. You can request a mail-in ballot by going to https://www.ksvotes.org/ or by filling out and returning this form: https://www.kssos.org/forms/elections/AV1.pdf
What is the cost of the bond?
The bond request is $25,000,000.
How can bond funds be used?
Bond funds can only be used for constructing, equipping, maintaining and furnishing district facilities. This makes bond funds different from the district’s operating funds that are used to pay salaries, textbooks and other day-to-day expenses.
Bond funds can only be used for brick-and-mortar projects and cannot be legally used for anything else. This is an important distinction to remember. Bond funds and operational/salary funds are separate, and according to state law, these funds cannot be used interchangeably.
What is a “Mill”? How does this affect my property taxes?
A mill levy is the “tax rate” that is applied to the assessed value of a property. One mill is one dollar per $1,000 dollars of assessed value.
Calculator created in collaboration with Mats Rognstad, a student in Mr. Wolf’s Computer Programming class at BHS. When using this calculator, please make sure to select the correct starting valuation. This calculator is meant to help approximate monthly and annual tax burdens of the proposed bond, especially when using appraised values. Consult a tax professional if you need to know exactly how the bond issue affects you.
To determine Assessed values from Appraised valuations, we use the following:
Residential: Assessed Value is equal to 11.5% of Appraised Market Value
Commercial: Assessed Value is equal to 25% of Appraised Market Value
Agricultural: Assessed Value is equal to 30% of Appraised Market Value
Motor Vehicle: Assessed Value is equal to 20% of Appraised Market Value
More information about residential, commercial, and agricultural property, can be found in the PDF hyperlinked below.
How did community and staff input help shape the bond proposal?
Our community and district teachers and staff provided crucial input for setting the size and priorities of the scope. Stakeholders were engaged in the following ways from September – December 2022:
- Visioning sessions with teachers, staff, students, and community.
- Community surveys
- Input from facilities staff and department heads
Through this advice, we learned a major community priority was to make the most of our existing locations and buildings, including:
- Educational Improvements
- Safety & Security
- Outdoor Learning & Activities
Does the Board of Education support this bond?
Yes, the Board of Education unanimously supports this bond.
Bond Project Videos
Resources and Information
Bond Question-and-Answer letter mailed to homes May 11th which aims to address commonly asked questions by patrons and on social media sites.
Letter mailed and distributed on May 3rd. This letter highlights improvements to our outdoor facilities.
Flyer mailed and distributed in late April. Highlights major projects that would completed and provides some graphics on the financial impact of the project.
Informational letter shared 24 March 2023
Informational letter to families and USD 348 patrons on the impact the proposed bond could have on Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings at Baldwin City schools.
Informational letter to families and USD 348 patrons on the impact the proposed bond on safety and security updates within the district.
Graph showing Mill Levy changes in USD 348 over time and the impact of a potential bond project on mill levels.