PPEL Info

PPEL Information for the
Odebolt-Arthur Community School District

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012,
you will be asked to vote on a renewal of the
district Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL). 

Polling Locations: Open from noon to 8:00pm
• Arthur Community Center
• Odebolt Fire Station

Early Voting
• You may vote starting around November 13th until Monday, December 3rd, in person at the Sac County
Auditor’s office Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm
• Absentee Ballots may be requested around November 13th and thereafter, from the Sac County
Auditors Office. Absentee ballot request forms must be received by the Auditor’s office in enough time
for the office to process the request and get the ballot out to the individual prior to the return
date. Returned forms must be postmarked by Monday, December 3rd.

Community Informational Meetings
• Tuesday, November 6th at 7:00 p.m. in the evening,
     Location: MPR in the Odebolt School

• Monday, November 12th at 7:00 a.m. in the morning,
   Location: Conference Room in the Odebolt School

• Monday, November 26th at 5:30 p.m. in the evening
   Location: MPR in the Odebolt School

• Wednesday, November 28th at Noon,
   Location: Conference Room in the Odebolt School

• Thursday, November 29th at 7:00 a.m. in the morning
   Location: Conference Room in the Odebolt School

An investment in the quality of life in our schools.
Our communities have the expectation of excellence and that applies to our school facilities as well. Maintaining a quality school building has been expected and supported by our community members, and pride is taken in the facilities that are used to educate learners. In order to keep these facilities maintained and functioning, consistent and planned maintenance and upkeep are required. PPEL funds allow the district to keep our facilities looking good, so students and families every year can be proud of the school they attend. Research demonstrates the positive impact of clean, updated and safe learning environments on a student’s ability to be successful academically. In addition, economic development experts state the physical appearance of a school building is a major factor in attracting families and businesses to the community.
What is the Physical Plant & Equipment Levy (PPEL)? The Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) comprises two levies—the regular Physical Plant and Equipment Levy and the voter approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy. The maximum for the regular is 33 cents per $1,000 taxable assessed valuation, and the maximum for the voter approved is $1.34 per $1,000 taxable assessed valuation, for a combined maximum of $1.67 per $1,000 taxable assessed valuation.

School districts may use the voter approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy only upon a majority approval of the voters of the school district. The maximum length of the levy may not exceed ten years and must be stated in the resolution prior to the election. (Source: School Administrators of Iowa)

 How does PPEL fit into the district’s financials?
The Odebolt-Arthur Community School District (OACSD) has relied on the PPEL for many, many years to provide important maintenance funding which helps to:
    • Purchase transportation vehicles like buses and vans
    • Purchase musical instruments for our band program
    • Support classroom technology and more
    • Repair roofs, playgrounds, and sidewalks

Well maintained school buildings, vehicles, and grounds are an essential part of our school community.

How much does this levy generate and for how long?
The maximum length of the voter-approved PPEL program is 10 years. The current levy expires June 30, 2013. Our district voter-approved PPEL program would provide approximately $175,000 per year for 10 years. The Odebolt-Arthur Community School District has had the voter-approved PPEL in place for at least the last 10 years.

How does the passage of the PPEL affect me?
Renewal of this levy will not increase your property tax rate. The district and the board is committed to setting the voter-approved rate at a level that will not increase the overall school district property tax rate. The district can do this by raising and lower levies for Management Fund, PPEL, Cash Reserve, and Instructional Support to ensure there will not be an overall property tax rate increase.

Can the PPEL program be used to offset shortages in the district’s general fund?
No, the PPEL revenues cannot be used for salaries, textbooks, or new educational programs. The requirements for the use of the PPEL funds are very specific and limited to maintenance, technology, and equipment.

What are some examples of how the PPEL revenues can be used?
    • PPEL funds can be used for technology such as computer purchase and replacement;
    • Equipment purchase or replacement such as musical instruments;
    • Building maintenance such as masonry repairs, concrete and asphalt repairs and replacements, and energy conservation improvements;
    • Maintaining and improving school grounds landscaping and purchasing school transportation vehicles like buses.

Projects OACSD has completed using PPEL funds:
    • Boiler repairs
    • Building carpet replacement
    • Outdoor maintenance
    • Electrical upgrades
    • Concrete replacement
    • School buses and support vehicles
    • Musical instruments
    • Classroom technology
    • Teacher computers
    • Student computers
    • Upkeep of elementary playground

What happens if the PPEL vote does not pass?
Some projects and purchases still need to be completed and would have to be funded by other revenue sources, such as the General fund or SAVE Funds. Our district would struggle to meet the maintenance requirements for our facilities and grounds without the approved PPEL funds in place. In addition, the district would be unable to move forward with technology purchases and replacement of aging buses and school support vehicles.

What is the difference between the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) and the State One Cent Sales and Service Tax Program?
For the Odebolt-Arthur Community School District, PPEL funds and the State One Cent Sales and Service Tax are used for maintenance and facilities improvement. The State One Cent Sales and Service Tax is also used for major capital improvement projects, such as the Geothermal Conversion project and renovations to the inside of the building.

I have additional questions, who do I contact?
If you have questions or want to learn more about our Physical Plant and Equipment Levy program, please call Dr. Nick Ouellette, Superintendent, at (712) 668-2289, contact by email or stop into the district main offices for a visit. The District welcomes opportunities to speak to individuals or groups of people about PPEL vote or any school related topic.