Ineed to be direct with our communities: The East Marshall Community School District is at a crossroads, and the path we choose this November will determine whether we’re here to serve students ten years from now.

Since 2012, we’ve lost 323 students–a 35% decline. That represents $2.26 million in annual state funding that simply disappeared. Last year alone, we lost 52 students. In Iowa’s current funding model, every student we lose means less money for teachers, programs, and opportunities. We’re not just competing for pride–we’re competing for survival.

And make no mistake: it’s a fierce competition. Fellow CIML school districts like Denver, Dike-New Hartford, Grundy Center, Hudson, and Jesup have all passed bonds since 2020. They’re recruiting the same teachers we are and enrolling families from the same regional pool. When teacher candidates visit our facilities and see families touring neighboring districts’ modern buildings, we lose before the conversation even starts. Private schools now have access to public tax dollars, creating yet another competitor with newer facilities and targeted marketing.

Here’s what should frustrate taxpayers the most: we’re pouring money into maintaining failing buildings instead of investing in our people. Every dollar spent patching 100-year-old infrastructure, every emergency HVAC repair, every workaround for inadequate space — that’s money NOT going to teachers, programs, activities, and opportunities that attract and retain families. We’re hemorrhaging resources maintaining buildings that work against us.

This bond would stop that bleeding. Modern, efficient facilities cost dramatically less to operate. Two consolidated attendance centers instead of three eliminates redundant utilities, maintenance, and staffing costs. Energy-efficient systems reduce operational expenses. But more importantly, freeing up those dollars means reinvesting in what actually matters: hiring excellent teachers, expanding programming, offering competitive salaries, providing activities that keep families in our district.

Let me be clear about our fiscal responsibility. Over eight years, the East Marshall Bd. of Education has deliberately reduced our property tax levy by 23% — from $14.25 to $9.84 per $1,000 of assessed value. That’s the lowest it’s been in 20 years. We did this to demonstrate that we respect your investment and to prepare for this critical moment. Even with the $4.05 bond increase, our total levy would be $13.89 — still below our neighboring districts’ average of $15.76.

But here’s the larger truth that extends beyond our school district: rural Iowa communities live or die with their schools. I’ve watched it happen across the state. When a school closes, businesses leave. Young families move away. Property values decline. Main Streets empty. It’s a domino effect we cannot afford.

Our communities — Gilman, Laurel, Le Grand — face the same existential question every rural Iowa town faces: will we invest in the institutions that keep us viable, or will we manage decline until the state forces consolidation? Because that’s the choice. The state won’t let us operate inefficiently forever. If we don’t act now on our terms, we’ll be forced to act later on the state’s terms.

The detailed contingency plan we’ve developed for a bond failure isn’t theoretical — it’s the roadmap we’ll be forced to follow. We’ll immediately close Gilman Middle School after the 2026-27 school year. We’ll be forced to eliminate teaching positions and reduce support staff, increasing class sizes to maximum allowable levels. We’ll move 7th-12th graders into LeGrand’s aging 1923 building without adequate climate control. We’ll continue the death spiral: worse facilities lead to fewer students, which leads to less funding, which leads to fewer programs, which leads to more families leaving.

Or we can choose growth. The $19.8 million we’re requesting will create two modern, efficient campuses that SAVE money on operations while ATTRACTING families and teachers. Every month we delay costs $115,000 in construction inflation. The $13.5 million project we proposed last year now costs $19.8 million. Yes, construction inflation accounts for part of that increase — about 7-10% annually is the reality we’re facing. But this isn’t just about costs rising. After the November 2024 bond failed, we listened. The community told us they wanted transparency, specific plans, and solutions that addressed ALL our buildings, including Gilman.

The expanded scope directly responds to that feedback. We’re not just patching problems — we’re addressing more facility issues comprehensively and maintaining a meaningful district presence in Gilman that serves both educational and community needs for decades to come. The base plan includes substantial renovation of the Gilman gym, district office space, locker rooms, and concessions–not abandonment. We’ve offered the community four specific options ranging from basic renovation to athletic facilities, ensuring Gilman residents have real choices about their building’s future role in the district. We’re building a solution that can actually work long-term for all three communities while consolidating to two efficient educational campuses.

This bond does three things simultaneously: it stops the financial bleeding from maintaining obsolete buildings, it positions us to compete for students and teachers, and it ensures our communities remain viable. For a $100,000 home, this investment costs 47 cents per day. For a 160-acre farm, it’s $1,038 annually. These aren’t insignificant amounts, but they’re investments in our district’s sustainability.

I’ve spent my career as a fiscal conservative. I don’t ask for money lightly. But I’m asking now because the alternative is watching everything we’ve built crumble. We have proven our responsibility with eight years of tax levy reductions. We have a plan. We have the financial capacity. What we need now is your commitment to ensuring East Marshall — and by extension, our communities–survives and thrives.

Both ballot questions must pass with 60% approval. Every vote matters. The future of our schools, our district’s programs and traditions, & our communities depend on your support.

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Dr. Kevin Seney is the superintendent of the

East Marshall Community School District.