Voters to decide on a $90 million bond issue for Waverly school district

WAVERLY, Neb. (KLKN) — The Waverly school district is setting the amount for an upcoming bond referendum at $89.9 million. 

Waverly Public Schools Superintendent Cory Worrell said it is primarily to address urgent facility needs. 

“We do need more space at the middle school and high school,” he said. “Some of our buildings just need some fixes; some of them need total new equipment.”

Worrell said the district also needs to make improvements to the heating and air conditioning systems, which he said are outdated. 

He said the district has been assessing its facilities since 2020 to see what the main needs are.

The bond project will also help expand curriculums and programs like band and performing arts.

He said the band needs more room for equipment storage.

“We’re pretty tight with the spaces we currently have,” Worrell said.

Another big part of the bond project is to make the district’s buildings safer.

“We have a vestibule design where people have to get in the first door, and then they check in the office and then we buzz them into a second door,” he said. “In many of our buildings you can go different directions, so we want to improve that.” 

Worrell also explained how the bond will impact taxpayers.  

“If you own a $100,000 home, you’d be looking at $128 extra for a year,” he said. “And then you can make the calculation based on what your home value is.”

Residents of the school district can vote on the measure on May 14. The district includes Alvo, Eagle, Prairie Home, Walton and Waverly.