A direction on facilities may be months away for USD 251 North Lyon County, but the research effort continues at this time.
A 13-member strategic planning committee has had two meetings since the public discussion of G Kent Stewart’s 30-page study in late April, including a building tour at Northern Heights. Superintendent Bob Blair says facility needs are a driving factor in this latest study. Enrollment trends are another.
The Stewart study led to several potential options, including:
*Build a new high school
*Replace temporary classroom buildings at Northern Heights High School
*Build an addition at Northern Heights
*Invite a neighboring district to consolidate with USD 251
*No action
Stewart also recommended at least keeping the capital outlay budget level and considering an engineering study for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing and mechanical systems at both North Lyon County Elementary-Junior High and Northern Heights.
Three previous referendums for new K-12, Pre-K or 6-12 buildings between October 2015 and November 2017 all failed by at least 10 percentage points. There is currently no timetable for the committee to develop its recommendation for board review.
Separately, board members are anticipating a notice to the county for exceeding the revenue-neutral rate for the local option budget, but Blair says that appears to be the only line item needing that official notice. The board is looking at going from 10.6 mills to 11.1 mills for that line item. Blair also says next year’s cash balances should be even from the current budget.
The USD 251 board also discussed a recent change in state law allowing homeschooled or private-school students to participate in public school athletics if they are currently in the school district boundaries.
