The Adel-DeSoto-Minburn School District is seeking a $58 million bond referendum to make improvements to its facilities across the entire district.

Superintendent Greg Dufoe says the $58 million would be used with four different building projects. He details the two main components, starting with a new high school.

“We have a purchase agreement for land just south of town (in Adel) which we think is a very, very good site for the high school. It also involves a connected project where DeSoto Intermediate would become a preschool, and then the 5th and 6th grade students would come from DeSoto and attend in the space at the Nile Kinnick campus that the high school would leave.” 

Dufoe points out along with those two projects also includes transitioning of the current high school into a middle school for 5th-8th grades and establishing new outdoor athletic facilities. Dufoe also talks about if the bond would increase taxes as this would go onto the district’s debt service levy.

“Our debt service levy rate won’t change. If this is approved our payment schedule will change that will get extended from 2040 to 2051. So we would see an extension of our payment period for these bonds, would not affect the debt service tax levy rate.” 

The current debt service levy rate is $17.33 per $100,000 of property valuation. The rate includes the additions that were done in 2014 and ‘15, as well as building the Meadow View Elementary building in 2021. ADM school district voters are asked to consider the bond referendum, which needs a super majority to pass of at least 60 percent.