Question 1

What would the proposed investments mean for Union CSD?

Accepted Answer

The proposed bond referendum is about building a stronger future for our students, families, and communities. With voter support, these investments will:
Provide a safe and modern learning environment
Strengthen academic and extracurricular programming
Upgrade our infrastructure
Enhance our communities

Question 2

How is this bond issue different from the referendum in 2024?

Accepted Answer

Bond referendums in Iowa require voter approval of at least 60%. In November 2024, the proposed $20.5 million referendum for Union CSD fell six votes short of passing.

The bond issue that fell short of passing included a new auxiliary gymnasium and locker room addition at the high school. After engaging with district residents and conducting a community survey, these were eliminated from the new project scope.

New projects that have been included in the 2025 bond proposal are the construction of a wrestling room, bus barn, and a state-of-the-art greenhouse.

In addition to reducing the total bond amount by $2 million compared to the proposal in 2024, the estimated property tax impact has been lowered to $2.60 per $1,000 of taxable value (from $2.70).

→ SEE THE COMPARISON SUMMARY

In the 2024 bond, SAVE borrowing was expected to fund approximately 25% of the total project cost. After hearing from voters, in an effort to reduce the total cost and tax impact, the board chose to increase the SAVE borrowing portion to 28% ($7.3 million).

SAVE, which is short for Secure Advanced Vision for Education, used to be known as the statewide one-cent sales tax for education. SAVE has no impact on property taxes and cannot be levied or adjusted because the district has a bond.

Question 3

Has the district used SAVE borrowing previously?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The district has utilized this option to cover improvement costs.

The School Board previously approved SAVE borrowing in 2009, and the first payment began in 2010. The district later refinanced the debt in 2017, which resulted in approximately $150,000 of savings thanks to lower interest rates. The annual payments from that action are now approximately $650,000, and the final payoff is scheduled for 2029.

If the general obligation bond is approved on November 4 by voters, the district would issue an additional loan against SAVE revenue. This new borrowing would be in addition to the existing debt, and the payments would wrap around the existing borrowing to keep the annual payments level.

The new estimated total annual debt payments would be approximately $670,000, or about $20,000 more per month for the duration of the loan. This financial method does not impact property taxes, and the district (by law) can't levy for/on the SAVE.

The board will make a final decision as to the structure of the debt as the district gets closer to the need to borrow, knows where interest rates are, and the total cost of the project.

Question 4

Other than 2024, has Union CSD had a bond referendum vote in recent years?

Accepted Answer

No. The district did hold a SAVE (Secure an Advanced Vision for Education) election in 2023 and a voted Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) election in 2017, but no other general obligation bond referendum votes aside from 2024.

Question 5

Would the bond projects help resolve mold problems at UHS?

Accepted Answer

Professional mitigation measures were implemented at UHS in September after air quality assessments found elevated levels of mold spores in the choir room and two classrooms.

Humidity issues are the root cause of the problem and are linked to the building’s HVAC systems being unable to adequately regulate moisture levels. Under the bond proposal that will be considered by district voters on Tuesday, November 4, the school’s HVAC systems would be improved.

The mold issues forced staff members to relocate elsewhere in the school during the remediation. We also discarded several items due to the mold exposure, including:
All of the concert band’s tuxedo shirts
All of the marching band’s shoes
All garment bags used by the concert and marching bands
Some of the Union Carolers' uniforms, which were mostly handmade by community members

All of the concert band's tuxedo coats, pants, vests, and ties underwent cleaning, along with the concert choir’s robes, the marching band's uniforms, and costumes used for show choir concerts, musicals, and small-group performances.

An inspection report from the incident is available for review, along with two subsequent mold reports:
Report #1
Report #2

Union CSD provided updates to parents and community members throughout the mitigation process, including a final message from Superintendent John Howard on October 13, 2025, after the work was complete.

Question 6

How much has been spent on building upkeep in Dysart?

Accepted Answer

Over the past five years, Union CSD has invested more than $2.6 million at our schools in Dysart. The total spent since July 2022 is $1.35 million.

Question 7

How much as the district spent lately on UHS roof?

Accepted Answer

In  FY 2023, Union CSD spent $148,305 on the roof sections above the competition gymnasium and the upper gymnasium. The following year, $43,465 was spent on a section above the high school locker room.

Since July 2020, $213,272 has been spent on repairs and maintenance of the roof at Union High School.

Replacing the roof at UHS is included in the bond referendum proposal.

Question 8

How would the bond improve safety and security?

Accepted Answer

The Board will make a final determination on which safety and security measures to implement as part of the bond issue. Safety and security is, and always has been, a top priority for the Union CSD Board of Education.

In recent years, the district has made significant investments and progress in this area, including the installation of security cameras, key fob entry systems, enhanced lighting, ZeroEyes technology, and more. Still, the Board recognizes that safety and security is never “complete.” The district must continually evaluate and strengthen its practices to prevent or effectively respond to potential situations.

Question 9

Has the board gone through the bidding process for all these projects?

Accepted Answer

The process of a project takes many steps.  We are in Step 1 to understand if the scope of the project is approved by the voters. The budget set is based on recent projects with a similar scope and is an estimate—not final bids. This ensures the district does not invest significant time and money into a project that may not be approved.

If the project is funded, Step 2 would be design. In this stage, the district works with architects and engineers to develop construction documents. These documents are what are used to publicly bid the project per Iowa Code Chapter 26. This would take place from December 2025 to July 2026 and perhaps be bid late summer/early fall.

Once all bids are in and do not exceed the amount approved for the project, Step 3 is when we move forward with construction.  If the bids are over the approved amount for the project, they cannot be approved, and the project would need to go through re-design and then re-bid to ensure it is on or under budget. This would take place over approximately 18 months after bidding.

Question 10

Why can't we use PPEL funds to pay for these projects?

Accepted Answer

A Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) is a funding tool that Iowa school districts use for infrastructure and equipment repairs, purchases, and improvements. PPEL funds are not used for large-scale construction projects.

Union CSD received more than $740,000 worth of PPEL revenue in the previous fiscal year. These funds are used for building maintenance, equipment repairs, vehicle replacement, and technology and computer purchases, among others.

Question 11

Why can’t we construct a new building?

Accepted Answer

Constructing a new building to replace an existing school is not financially feasible for our district at this time.

Question 12

How would an approved bond affect property taxes?

Accepted Answer

An approved general obligation bond referendum would have an estimated property tax impact of up to $1.96 per $1,000 of taxable value.

For a $200,000 home in Union CSD, this would result in an annual increase of approximately $234.03 (or $19.50 per month).

For a commercial property assessed at $1 million, the monthly tax impact would be approximately $$181.17.

The monthly impact for agricultural property (based on the average assessed value) would be $0.30 per acre in Blackhawk and Tama County, and $0.33 in Benton and Buchanan County.

Question 13

How did the tax impact on ag land go from $0.30 to $3.50 per acre?

Accepted Answer

The tax impact for the Union CSD bond issue is $2.60 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, which is consistent with what’s shown on the tax impact worksheet.

The “blended” average acre of ag land across the four counties would see a monthly tax impact of approximately $0.31 or an annual impact of about $3.69 per acre. It's possible to mix up the two figures—reading the monthly impact ($0.30) in one instance and the annual impact ($3.50) in another.

Many community members in the agriculture industry typically think about property tax impacts on an annual basis, which is why we usually present the ag land impact that way.

Question 14

How does Union CSD’s levy rate compare to other school districts?

Accepted Answer

For the current fiscal year, Union CSD’s cumulative tax levy rate of $11.82 per $1,000 of taxable property value is the fourth lowest in the North Iowa Cedar League.

The five NICL districts with the highest levy rates have all approved bond referendums since 2020. With an approved bond in November, Union CSD would still have a tax rate lower than these five districts.

Question 15

How long will it take for Union CSD to pay off the bond?

Accepted Answer

This proposed general obligation bond would be repaid over 20 years.

Question 16

Why don’t you have detailed building plans available?

Accepted Answer

The district will proceed with creating final designs if the bond is approved by voters. We believe spending money to have plans created that may never be used is not a wise financial decision.

Question 17

Why should we move forward with these projects now?

Accepted Answer

By acting now, we can address our needs and allow our schools to better serve future generations of students. Delaying the proposed bond issue projects will lead to higher costs later due to inflation and rising material and labor costs, among other factors.

Question 18

What is the question that will appear on the ballot?

Accepted Answer

Voters will see the following question on the ballot on Tuesday, November 4, 2025:

Shall the Board of Directors of the Union Community School District in the Counties of Black Hawk, Benton, Buchanan and Tama, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $18,500,000 to provide funds for safety and security improvements at all school buildings; to improve mechanical and fire alarm systems at the Elementary buildings; to remodel, repair, improve, furnish and equip portions of the High School and Middle School buildings; to construct, furnish, and equip additions to the High School building and improve the site; and to construct, furnish, and equip a bus barn?

Question 19

When is election day?

Accepted Answer

The election will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and polling locations can be found on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website.

Question 20

Can I cast an absentee ballot in this election?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Registered voters may request a mailed absentee ballot ahead of election day through their county auditor’s office. The first day voters can request a mailed absentee ballot is August 26. Ballots will be mailed starting October 15.

To receive a mailed absentee ballot, complete a request form and return it to your auditor’s office. The deadline to request a mailed ballot is October 20. Ballots must be received by your auditor’s office before the polls close on election day (November 4) to be considered for counting.

In-person absentee voting will be available at your county auditor’s office starting on October 15.  Voting will be available weekdays during regular business hours until November 3.

Bond Referendum | November 4, 2025

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