Iowa Valley Community College District administrators were at the Chronicle and News-Herald offices in Tama last Thursday to explain the upcoming vote on the district’s $32 million general obligation bond issue and to urge voters to take part in the combined city-school election set for Nov. 5.

Voters in the South Tama and Green Mountain- Garwin school districts the Meskwaki Settlement and the towns of Gladbrook and Lincoln cast ballots in Tama County. East Marshall School District residents living in Tama County vote in Montour while South Tama School District patrons living in Poweshiek County vote in that county.

The bond issue previously missed passage by less than two percent of the required 60 percent approval in April.

Chancellor Kristie Fisher, Kathy Pink, vice chancellor of district finance and Jacque Goodman, vice chancellor of education and training said they hope the mission of Iowa Valley, the programs in technical and academics and the services provided will be considered by voters as part of their decision in casting their ballots on the issue. They agreed it was new ground with the school election combined with the city vote.

Economics

They said the economic impact on the area including the employees trained by Iowa Valley and in cooperative programs with area industry, is an important consideration.

They pointed to a past example of training provided for 650 employees at Iowa Premium in Tama.

A study for the 2017-18 fiscal year showed Iowa Valley with a total economic impact of $293.6 million. The study was conducted by Economic Modeling LLC, a Moscow, Idaho-based non-commercial research firm.

It listed a total of $21.9 million in operations spending impact, $4.6 million in student spending and $267.1 million annual impact among its findings.

Taxes

For the 2018-19 tax year, the tax rate for all properties in the area Iowa Valley covers in Tama County was 88 cents per $1,000 valuation. This includes homes, commercial and farm ground in all of the Iowa Valley service area in Tama County.

Tama County paid a total of $568,234 in property taxes to Iowa Valley in the 2018-19 period according to the Tama County Auditor’s Office.

The information provided by Iowa Valley sets the cost to taxpayers at an additional annual 33 cents per $1,000 property valuation.

Usage

The bonds sought for approval are aimed primarily at “major capital improvement projects” on the three campuses in Marshalltown, Iowa Falls and Grinnell according to a voter information sheet. Listed are renovations in learning spaces, upgrading security systems and technology improvements.

The administrators maintain the district budget simply does not cover all of the needed repairs.

Fisher says the district, of which she was named chancellor effective July 1, had “prioritized” work on the buildings and grounds in an effort to keep up.

“We receive a little over $1 million yearly in state support (for maintenance), Pink said. “Our utility costs are a little over $1 million a year.”

If passed, the bond issue would provide about 50% for Ellsworth campus work, 40% for Marshalltown Community College, 6.5% for technology upgrades and 3.5 % for the Grinnell campus.

Cite Local Impact

“The Iowa Valley nursing program is number two in the state,” Fisher said. “For nurses to stay in the area has an impact on anyone with health issues in the district.”

Goodman said the continued education programs offered at the Iowa Valley Education and Training Center Tama County, in Tama, continues to provide education for high school equivalency diplomas and English as a second language courses.

Further, Iowa Valley and South Tama High School provide concurrent enrollment courses enabling students to achieve college credits while still in high school. Pink said these course are available at no cost to the student and receive direct state financial aid for the offerings.

“Iowa Valley is number one in students transferring to four-year schools,” Fisher said.