A proposed addition to the Dorchester School has generated considerable interest as nearly 80 visitors attended a special meeting Wedenesday evening in the school multi-purpose room. Last night’s meeting was held to inform District 44 patrons about the deteriorating conditions of the school’s main building, built in 1927. All school board members except Bill Boller were present along with administration staff. Visitors were briefed on the facility study and presented three separate plans to renovate or replace the 80-year-old structure. Architect Christy Joy of Archi+Etc., a Lincoln firm, gave a PowerPoint presentation explaining the options and the costs involved. Afterwards, Ms. Joy fielded questions and students conducted tours of the facilities.
Two of the options being considered by Board members would provide the minimum maintenance required to bring the school into compliance with 2007 standards. A third option presents a more comprehensive plan, which would likely serve the school through 2050 or beyond.
• Option 1(a) carries a price tag of more than $1.8 million. This plan – the least expensive – would make minimum modifications to the 1927 building to bring it up to code. This would include the addition of an elementary attendance center and separate administration office space. Portable classrooms would be removed and new parking area away from playgrounds would be added.
• Option 1(b) is estimated to cost $2.6 million. The plan calls the full renovation of the 1927 building, including an “elevator for vertical accessibility.” A small wing for administration staff would be added to allow for supervision. Similar to the first option, a new parking area would be added and the portable classrooms would be removed.
• Option 2, the most comprehensive plan, would cost $3.98 million. The plan would completely revamp the school campus, with a new building to replace the 1927 structure and portable classrooms. New additions would surround the 1963 gymnasium. The additions would provide space for an elementary attendance center, an administrative wing for supervision, and modern rooms for high school classes.
The next regular monthly Board meeting will be 8 p.m. Monday, May 14.
*** Update 5/11, 9 p.m. ***
Due to a post from reader Mike, we received several e-mails about taxes collected by both Dorchester School and City Hall. A Saline County comparison of taxes collected by school districts and cities can be found here. This chart is an eye-opener. For example, in 2005-06, the City of Friend, with a population of 1100, collected almost $300,000 in net property tax revenue, with another $150,000 coming from State Aid. Compare that to the City of Dorchester, which took in $90,000 in net property tax revenue and $62,000 in State Aid. That's a $300,000 shortfall when compared to our neighbor to the west. The majority of Friend's city tax dollars are not from agricultural property owners, unlike the school's revenue. Therefore, this comparison of the two towns presents the best case yet for Dorchester's need for economic development, business recruitment and new homes.
I started reading this website/blog/whatever you call it about 2 weeks ago. I never left a comment until now. My wife and I have always wanted to move back to Dorchester, where I grew up and graduated from. If the new school additions were built, I think that would be enough to bring me and my kids back home.
ReplyDeleteyou r exaclty right speaking as a student myself i wouldn't go to friend and alot more people agree with me. .. Also y would we go to friend if they have debts and we have have money? Friend isn't big enough to hold dorchester kids as well so wouldn't u just want to spend ur money in ur home town or would u rather just see the town of friend grow? also people are so worried about spending money what is it gonna cost u to drive your kid to school everyday? And for the people who say we can just stay in the building we got wow.. Its not like in the past where we have 9 or 10 kids now a days we have at least 25.. So if u r gonna wine and complain about spending money then u must not want to have a grocery store or any thing in dorchester.. cuz if the school goes so will other businesses.
ReplyDeletethe main problem, as i see it is, the people who will be paying the most for the school get very little use from the school. convincing them will take more then convincing people who use the school. those of you barnstorming may want to slow down and use a softer approach then the doomsday one that you seem to be pushing. These people have ridden out many so called crisis's in there day. they will not be pushed around!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great turn out for the informative board meeting 5/9/07..knowing so many people care and took time to learn what is being proposed, offering suggestions and opinions, reassures me that there is a bright future for those of us that call Dorchester home. I would like to THANK the board and Mr. Ehlers for doing a great job. Trying to change things (even if it's for the best) and provide a vision for the future is not an easy task -- often they are critized and their efforts squashed for lack of funds and support. Do we do nothing, waiting for the end or do we try to do something to secure our future (I speak about both the school and our town)?? Risk nothing, gain nothing. Paying taxes will not go away, we just need to make the choice of spending it here improving Dorchester or sending it somewhere else.
ReplyDeletemany say we must chose between improving the looks of the town or investing in the school. can't we do both? I think both are long overdue.
ReplyDeleteI agree with CO RD 1300. I only own a home in town so I wouldn't be paying the high dollars those who own farm land would. But, I believe I can still do my part. If the Village Board were to organize citizen groups: (1) Housing Development (2) Improve Main Street (3) Improve Community Visual (4) Economic Development (5)Paving. One for each VIllage Board member to chair, I would be willing to serve on one of those committees. I too believe if we all work together we can make a difference. No 'nay sayers', just positive thinkers with positive input.
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestion, Betty. Ever think about running for town board? We need more with your vision.
ReplyDeleteI just viewed the results of the poll being conducted on this Web site. Amazingly there are actually votes for "do nothing" when it comes to the school. Now we know there are a few people in town or with Dorchester connections who are rooting against the home team. They don't want their lives to be better ..... and they don't want your life (or kids' lives) to be better either. How sad is that.
ReplyDeleteI usually only make it back to Dorchester for the alumni tournament, however I do have an interest in the future of the school and town, not a financial interest like Saline Co. and Dist 44 taxpayers, but an interest just the same.
ReplyDeleteThe future of the school IS the future of the town. I read continually in this blog about wanting to attract new people, business and investment into town. From an economic development standpoint you must ask what competitive advantage does Dorchester hold over comparable towns. One of those things is its own school, lose that, and Big D becomes just another spot on the map.
Some observations that make me a bit concerned:
School District 44 is the highest tax rate out of the districts in the county.
Dorchester=1.244135
Friend=1.202041
Crete=1.046751
Wilber=1.039642
Granted this does not take into consideration possible bond indebtedness, but doesn't this seem high? Will Dorchester taxpayers vote for an improvement school bond knowing that this would add to an already high rate.
Dorchester's village rate is second highest in the county, only behind Friend's.
Friend=.807472
Dorchester=.488261
Crete=.415286
Wilber=.386771
I believe Friend has just added debt to their town by adding some municipal water infrastructure. Has Dorchester added any services or changed any infrastructure, that I freely admit, that I probably don't know about? What kind of budgets have the village board been passing?
The town that I live in has a relatively high levy rate of 2.396774 and we are paying off a new swimming pool, water treatment plant, wastewater system improvements and new paving projects. Dorchester's levy rate is 2.304627, what are you paying for?
Again these are just observations, but I am very interested in the future of Dorchester, and will do what I can to help.
Great figures provided by Mike. We all have opinions. Now a few more can be armed with facts. Exactly where ARE OUR tax dollars to the town going?
ReplyDeleteHey mike..............
ReplyDeletethe village of dorchester has updated the water system, and the electrical system in the last ten years..........how much more money do you think the community members can hanlde...........
hey..............how many people ran for election to the village board in the last election. There were three spots up for election and only two people ran. Its easy to sit back and complain........put up or shut up.......and put your name in the hat for election the next time we have one.
ReplyDeletelets do the math..........5000 for every option enrollment student............9600 to teach each of these students for a year
ReplyDeleteyou said it mr. ehlers...........whats the problem here.......
While Dorchester may not have the tax base of Friend, it may have an advantage in attaining grants. Someone on the Town Board should look into Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act (BECA), which provides up to $75,000 to communities to create/build community capacity, energize entrepreneurship, support business and retain youth. The Nebraska Rural Development Commission and Economic Development Dept. run the program. For information, contact Linda Fettig at 308-749-2291, email: linda.fettig@ded.ne.gov
ReplyDeleteThen again, maybe we're too rich, as one person wrote on this site.
TO MIKE
ReplyDeleteI HOPE THAT THIS MIGHT OPEN SOME OF OUR SCHOOL BOARDS MEMBERS EYES, AND THE TOWN. THIS HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN MY VOTE. UNTIL SOMEONE CAN TELL ME WHERE ALL THE MONEY IS GOING. HUM!
did everyone also know that the new tax evaluation, is to go up substancely, this bothers me, and now the talk of how much the new school is going to cost. it would be nice, but where wiil it stop for the taxpayers
ReplyDeleteSorry, but your poll is NOT going to portray an accurate picture of how people really feel. You can vote over and over again so 1 person can sit at their computer and vote until that thing says exactly what they want it to say.
ReplyDelete"Therefore, this comparison of the two towns presents the best case yet for Dorchester's need for economic development, business recruitment and new homes."
ReplyDeleteMy question for those of you that feel that the above quote is what this town needs is this:
You talk about economic development and business recruitment--how many of you shop at the local grocery store? And not just pick up a newspaper or rent a movie--I mean SHOP? Or get your car repaired here or get your gas here?
You can't recruit businesses to come here when the patrons of this town don't patronize the businesses we DO have.
So before you talk about economic development and business recruitment, maybe you should visit with the businesses that are already established here and see what you can do to help them get and retain the dollars that are leaving this town to go to Crete, Seward or Lincoln.
Everybody likes to get up on their soapbox and talk about what should be done to improve the town and create economic development, but when improvements have to be made to someone's business--those improvements come directly from that business owner's pocket.
So ask yourself---how much do I support my local businesses?
Lets redo the math, and look at what the words really mean. If you take Dorchester Schools operating budget and divide it by the number of students you get what they call a per pupil cost. This isn't what it costs to educate each student, it is the operating costs (which are just about the same with or without the option students) divided by the number of students. The more option students you add, the larger the number we get to divide by, which equals a smaller "per pupil cost." Also figure that you get to add $5000 to your operating budget for each option student (who again doesn't cost us $5000)
ReplyDeleteYou ask why isn't the per-pupil cost the actual amount it costs to educate a student? Because most of the expenses we incur at the school would be there even if we did not have those option students. Examples: building costs are the same no matter how many bodies are in it, teacher salaries and costs are the same whether there are 10 students or 20 students in the actual class, whether a bus is hauling 10 or 20 students those costs are pretty much the same. In light of that, we are actually getting to utilize that $5000 per option student to help our programs, because we do not come close to spending all of that on that student.
In the debate about dollars and cents, option students are money in our pocket, which would likely increase if a new structure is built.
Maybe the town and school should hire a grant writer on a pro bono basis?
ReplyDeleteback in the 80's there were 30 and 34 in the high school classrooms, and it didnt bother them then, and they got by, why is is such a problem now and there are less students, they got by then, why does it make that much differnce now.
ReplyDeletePlease cut us some slack. We apologize that the online poll permits readers to vote more than one. We will ensure that cannot happen next time. For now, we simply ask readers to follow the honor code and vote only once.
ReplyDeleteOf course, we also asked readers to sign their comments with a name other than "anonymous" -- and you see how far that got us.
In response to anonymous on how many people ran for Village Board in the last election. I get both the Friend & Crete papers & I never saw an article on who was up for re-election, who had filed or when the filing deadline was. Was this info submitted & I just missed it? I would have thought if there were less candidates than positions there would have been an urgency to get the info out, plus info on how the 'write-in' process works.
ReplyDeleteStay tuned, Betty. In about two weeks, we here at the Times are going to revisit the paving issue and possibly reignite some old passions. Trust us -- it will feel like 1979 all over again.
ReplyDeleteStudents did not have to share space with all of the computers in the 80's did they?
ReplyDeletewhy do we let individuals use the school building for personal gain and the taxpayers fit the bill. Is there rent charged for the use of the room for the day care?
ReplyDeletewhen the tyke building was used for this purpose at least there was money coming in to pay for the expenses.
Would it be ok if i wanted to use the kitchen in the evenings and on the weekends to serve food.
Also why wasnt everyone in the community given equal opportunity to apply for this position???
just wondering
i got a wild idea.
ReplyDeletethe school needs new facilities, the village needs new facilities such as office space and community meeting rooms, and libraries, lets work on combining a project. All parties can split the cost and the whole town benefits. Wouldnt this be a much better way to spend the tax dollars that our community generates.
to the members of this community and the people who are telling us that new schools would be nice and will save the community , it would be nice to see some of these people support out local businesses. How many of these people shop at our local grocery store, how many of these people bank at our bank, how many of these people have a vehicle fixed locally?
ReplyDeleteSome of these same people will drive to crete to get gas to save a couple of cents. Now doesnt that make sence??
These are the same people who cant wait for walmart to open.
These are the people who run to the locals to support a raffle or a money making project.
Lets start supporting our local businesses and they may show support in return.
ANYONE who thinks that the classrooms in the old part of the school are of adiquate size and quality, you NEED to take time this week while school is still in session to go and have one of the faculity members ive you a tour. If you were one of the people who attended the meeting the other night you had the opperitunity of doing just that. the classrooms ARE small, and there is NO room for storage and filing. They seemed small 15-20 years ago when I attended, but Wed was a real eye opener of what the students have to work with- very crampped space weather it be room size or even locker space.
ReplyDeleteThe first point I want to make is just that I didn't grow up in Dorchester, but now that I live here, my husband and I DO get our gas at the CO-OP no matter how much more expensive it is than Crete or Seward. We DO use Tyser to fix our vehicles (which has happened more than just once)... every time we have a problem or concern we take it to him. And we DO shop at the grocery store. Not enough to buy my complete list of groceries there, but a good amount. So PLEASE do NOT make it sound like NO ONE is trying to help the community... there are those of us who are.
ReplyDeleteSecond, after walking through that school last week. I cannot even believe kids can even learn in those classrooms. They are completely run down! Plus, in some classrooms they are sitting 3 kids at a table that is 1 1/2 feet wide and 3 feet long. There isn't even enough room for each child to have a notebook open let alone have a text book open and room to also take notes! But bigger tables isn't going to solve that b/c there isn't enough room for those. Plus, we aren't teaching the same way we were 20 years ago. There is a lot more required to teach todays youth with all the technology advancements. And we Cannot teach the same way it was done back then or there is NO HOPE for the students!
I know some of the people against the new school were against it going into the meeting, but after walking through the school, have changed their mind. I encourage all of those who are totally against it or even haven't decided yet and who have actually NOT seen the school, to go to the next meeting and walk through the school.
I have to commend the people who are writing these articles. I'am not against getting a new school. I'am just like every other person in this town. The prices of goods, gas, taxes, insurances, and other things, is what really concerns me. Tax evaluations, going up, its just a bad time for all this to come about. I do believe that we need a new school, or improvements, either way. I'am just wondering how much it is going to hurt, and average income family. Does anyone know how much it will go up per family. Maybe that would shed some light to everyone.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the poll results, it looks like a lot of people are leaning more towards renovating the school. That building is not a good use of learning space and needs a TREMENDOUS amount of renovation. Putting in the new boiler didn't do what we thought it would when we redid that. How long do we nickle and dime and waste people's money until we decide to give up on that old building? It's 80 years old, it's not going to last forever.
ReplyDeleteIt should be noted that our online poll was very unscientific. Unfortuately, readers were allowed to vote more than once, despite our instructions to the polling firm. Therefore, one or two enthusiastic individuals (on either side) could have greatly skewed the results.
ReplyDeleteWe at the Dorchester Times have not yet chosen sides on the school issue. However, we believe that doing nothing is not an option.
after the last meeting on the new school i overheard a person say that the past board memmbers were wined and dined. What does this mean???
ReplyDeletedid we have people brought in and fed and given special priviledges to gain their support? if this is the truth i believe that this sould be addressed by someone on the board of education.
Why should past board members be given special treatment?? They are past board members and should have no special priviledges that the common citizen should have.
What are you smoking? Wined and dined ............. in Dorchester??? Even if they were, what does it matter? They cant vote if they are former members.
ReplyDeleteWhat they mean by "wined & dined" is that the current board of education and the current administration invited former board members to the school--gave them a tour of the school (like they had never been there before), but they made sure the visiting board members were taken to the largest classes in the school to show they how "crowded" our whole school is and were coached on how our school was in such terrible shape.
ReplyDeleteThat's how they were wined and dined.
And, of course, they can't vote on anything the current board votes on, but our board can sure use them to tell people how much they think we need a new school.
I guess maybe they figure we have more respect for the "old" board members than we have for the "current" ones???!!!
Wined and dined?????? Yes, there was a special informative board meeting on Wed., 5/2/07 @ 8:00 am for former board members. It was suggested that we do this as a courtesy and also an opprotunity to give them factual information to share with other community members. Yes, we did have kolaches and tea.
ReplyDelete