Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce endorses school bond

The Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce has endorsed the school district's proposed $25 million bond issue that would chiefly go to build a new high school in Silver Springs.

"Good schools are important to the business community," said Wayne Pedlar, president of the chamber. "This bond is designed to handle increasing school enrollment, which the commerce feels is vital."

The bond is not expected to raise taxes because the 1994 bond has been paid off. The tax rate will remain at the current 59 cents for each $100 of assessed property value.

If the bond is approved, it would bring to five the number of high schools in Lyon County. The bond would also accommodate growth in those other areas.

Eight to 10 classroom wings would be added to Dayton Intermediate School, Dayton High School and Fernley High School for a cost of about $1.2 million each. A 12- to 16-classroom wing will be added to Fernley Intermediate School for $1.85 million.

The growth rate for the district for the last two years has been about 3 percent. Three years before that, the growth rate was about 8 percent.

About $300,000 would go to build a joint-use library with Lyon County and Smith Valley schools.

Other projects include new gyms and locker rooms and lighted parking lots.

The last Lyon school bond, was approved in 1994 for $15.8 million and was used to build Sutro Elementary School and made additions to Dayton and Fernley high schools.

The estimated new costs at each school are:

Dayton:

Sutro Elementary School - $52,000

Dayton Elementary School - $65,000

Dayton Intermediate School - $1.6 million

Dayton High School - $2.4 million

Fernley:

Cottonwood Elementary School - $25,000

Fernley Elementary School - $325,000

Fernley Intermediate School - $2.2 million

Fernley High School - $2.5 million

Silver Springs:

Silver Springs Elementary School - $860,000

Silver Springs Middle School - $1.2 million

Silver Springs High School - $11 million

Yerington:

Yerington Elementary School - $58,000

Yerington Intermediate School - $870,000

Yerington High School - $785,000

Smith Valley:

Smith Valley Elementary - $1 million