Kalispell Public Schools will ask elementary district voters for money to build eight elementary classrooms and a new central kitchen.

At a special meeting Tuesday, the board of trustees unanimously voted to request a 10-year, $3,350,000 bond issue to fund the projects. A mail ballot election is slated to conclude Sept. 18.

Ballots would be mailed out Aug. 29.

Factored into the bond amount is $250,000 from a 2004 elementary district bond issue set aside for central kitchen costs.

District officials estimate that if the bond request is approved, owners of a home valued at $100,000 would see taxes increase by $9.48 annually and owners of a home valued at $200,000 would see taxes increase by $18.95 a year.

Aaron Rudio, senior vice president of D.A. Davidson, said that a 10-year bond, versus 20-year, will cut interest by a third. Due to the district’s A+ credit rating combined with low interest rates, Kalispell elementary district residents can anticipate the interest rate to be locked in around 2.5 percent if the markets stay stable between now and when bonds are issued.

“The current interest rates are something we’re not going to see for a very long time,” Rudio said. “Borrowing at the kind of interest rates you’re able to borrow at right now is a pretty good deal.”

If approved, the bond would fund construction of four additional classrooms at Edgerton Elementary School and four additional classrooms plus a multipurpose room at Peterson Elementary, plus the new kitchen at Kalispell Middle School.

The classrooms will address overcrowding at the kindergarten- and second-grade levels and help the district meet state accreditation for class size. A new kitchen will address health and safety concerns at the current central kitchen at Flathead High School.

Originally the district purchased property on Meridian Court for $345,000. On the property was a warehouse the district planned to remodel into a kitchen.

When renovation estimates proved higher than expected with a less-than-optimal layout, trustees decided to build at the middle school.

The district also may take the approach that Whitefish High School did in passing its recent bond request in seeking out other financial sources, such as tax increment money, to lessen the bond amount.

Trustees have the opportunity between now and the election to reduce the bond amount.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Superintendent Darlene Schottle presented a positive update as the fiscal year comes to a close.

The elementary and high school districts currently show anticipated ending balances of $400,000 as a result of savings in energy costs, insurance costs and personnel changes.

“It’s actually a very fortunate situation for us that we have money left at the end of the year,”  Schottle said.

Trustees voted to place the money in an interlocal fund between the districts.

The board discussed possible ways to use the money.

Trustee Dave Schultz said using a portion of the savings to reduce the bond request may make it more palatable to voters after their approval in May of a $211,500 elementary district levy, which will provide staff support in overcrowded elementary classrooms next school year.

Discussion about options other than reducing the bond request included using the money for building maintenance/repair, supplies, materials or purchase of land for a new elementary school site.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.