In November 2003, residents of the Orange City School District passed a one mill permanent improvement levy. Upon passage of the levy, the Board restructured its bonded debt to decrease the rate by one mill leading to a net increase of zero. This resulted in no net increase in total voted millage or a “No New Millage” P.I. Levy.

This effort helped ease the financial burden on the general operating fund thus having a positive impact in determining millage for the district’s next operating levy. Permanent improvement funds cannot be used for employee salaries, retirement and insurance benefits. The district has an obligation to protect its investment in the school campus through ongoing preventative maintenance and upkeep of its buildings and grounds with the least financial impact on local residents.

For the past 20 years, permanent improvement funds have been used for a variety of projects across the school campus. Some of the more recent projects include:

• Athletic Scoreboards
• AED replacements
• BMS Renovations (partially)
• BMS Roof
• BMS Waterline Replacement (inside the building)
• Board Office Windows District
• General Paving
• HVAC Improvements
• Lighting upgrade (LED)
• MHS Generator
• MHS Roof
• MHS Smaller Playgrounds Renovations
• OHS Academic Roof (this summer)
• OHS Humanities furniture
• OHS Indoor pool Improvements (boilers to heat pool, painting pool, HVAC ventilation)
• OHS Locker Room Renovations
• OHS Media Center Renovations
• OHS Multi-Use Facility Roof
• OHS New Entrance
• OHS PA System
• OHS Roof
• Pool Boiler
• Practice field lighting
• Security Improvements (i.e Security cameras, safety film, alarms, radios, software)
• Stadium Track Resurfacing
• Tennis Courts Resurfacing

• Our buildings are well maintained, but they are public buildings that get a lot of use.
  The bones of our facilities are good and like our homes, they require constant care and upkeep. We are committing for the foreseeable future to keep our current buildings in use. Permanent improvement funds help ensure we have the funds to do so without having to go to the voters for a bond issue to construct new buildings. 

• In the next 10 years, capital repairs and replacements must occur for safety and security equipment, heating and cooling systems, school buses, facilities and campus infrastructure, and technology at a cost of more than $20 million per our 10-year capital maintenance plan.

• Permanent improvement funds ensure a dedicated source to cover these expenses which will alleviate the pressure on the general operating budget.

• Permanent improvement funding does not impact the cost per pupil expenditures or teachers’ salaries.

Please see the District’s current 10-year permanent improvement forecast
Note:  These are the best numbers known as of the date published on the forecast.  In a campus our size, we must always maintain adequate reserves to protect us for unexpected expenditures, etc.

The District currently collects 1.0 mills in permanent improvement funds annually.

1.0 millage = $1.25 million in 2023

• Our buildings are well maintained, but they are public buildings that get a lot of use.
  The bones of our facilities are good and like our homes, they require constant care and upkeep. We are committing for the foreseeable future to keep our current buildings in use. Permanent improvement funds help ensure we have the funds to do so without having to go to the voters for a bond issue to construct new buildings. 

• In the next 10 years, capital repairs and replacements must occur for safety and security equipment, heating and cooling systems, school buses, facilities and campus infrastructure, and technology at a cost of more than $20 million per our 10-year capital maintenance plan.

• Permanent improvement funds ensure a dedicated source to cover these expenses which will alleviate the pressure on the general operating budget.

• Permanent improvement funding does not impact the cost per pupil expenditures or teachers’ salaries.

Please see the District’s current 10-year permanent improvement forecast
Note:  These are the best numbers known as of the date published on the forecast.  In a campus our size, we must always maintain adequate reserves to protect us for unexpected expenditures, etc.