Lakewood School District sends levy to voters

Lakewood voters will decide in April on a replacement levy that will renew the district’s expiring technology levy funding.

The technology and facility improvements levy will be on the April 26 special election ballot.

In 2020, voters in the district approved a two-year technology levy which had a reduced budget request and the funding from that levy will end at the start of 2023.

The current levy proposal will fund building maintenance and technology for students and staff, while the expiring levy was focused solely on technology.

“In 2020 the board had decided to reduce the levy to just technology needs,” said Scott Peacock, Lakewood School District superintendent. “We really wanted to make sure we scaled back that levy because of the hardship people were facing due to the pandemic."

The district deferred on those maintenance needs that are becoming more urgent now, said Peacock.

“We are re-instating those facility requests now,” he said.

The total levy collections would amount to $3.8 million over four years, which is a property tax rate of $0.22 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Because of the facility maintenance funding, the property tax rate would increase by about $0.09 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

A full list of budget items for the levy is available on the district’s information page at lwsd.wednet.edu/Page/1600.

The budget includes $325,000 for roof replacement projects.

“We’ve had leaks at Lakewood Middle School and Lakewood Elementary School,” said Peacock.

“There was a significant leak in Cougar Hall at the middle school over the break,” which caused damage because of melting snow, he added.

A boiler needs to be replaced at Lakewood Elementary School which will take $185,000 of the levy’s funding.

“It is currently several decades old,” said Peacock.

Waterproof coating also needs to be upgraded in parts of the district.

“It needs to be maintained at the stadium where it is nearing the end of its life and already failing sometimes,” said Peacock.

That project is budgeted for $80,000 of the levy funding.

“We anticipate the need to add a couple of classrooms due to enrollment growth,” said Peacock, and $600,000 is set aside for that extra space.

Peacock said that may mean adjusting classrooms or it could mean portables.

The levy will also continue to fund the district’s technology effort and pay for 2,000 new Chromebooks, 200 staff computers and the support staff for that technology.

District officials are planning community outreach efforts on social media and with a flyer to help voters understand the proposal.

Peacock said that in the past voters have appreciated a clear budget picture.

“They appreciate that we itemized all of the expenses in the last levy,” he said. The district has done so again on their website.

“That helps us be accountable and transparent,” said Peacock.

He also wanted to thank the public for their help.

“We appreciate the support of the community,” said Peacock. “They stood with us through the pandemic and the trials of the last couple years."