The Fountain Hills Unified School District (FHUSD) Governing Board voted to put two items up for the General Election this November. Local voters will decide on a $25 million bond at a 15-year amortization rate, and the Board is also asking for the authority to sell/lease/exchange the Four Peaks building within a window of 20 years.

The motions both passed 3-2, with members Libby Settle and Madicyn Reid in opposition, and Lillian Acker, Dana Saar and Jill Reed in support. The Board voted to leave District-owned vacant land, the McDowell Mountain building and an override off the ballot this year, all unanimous decisions.

The election decisions came at the end of a lengthy and at times tense Board meeting last Tuesday, May 9.

Settle and Reid both opposed the proposal for a $20 million bond over a 20-year amortization in last year’s election cycle, which failed to pass by 1,792 votes.

Settle and Reid each defended their positions against this year’s election items by stating the Board needs to regain public trust first. Settle said Fountain Hills had a “terrible year of elections that have been damaging on our town, damaging on our community, and damaging on our school district, and I think we need to allow that proper healing.”

Reid had a similar stance on regaining trust from the local community, however, she said she believes that disconnect between the school district and the community stems from “a distrust with the overall education system, not our district specifically.”

Superintendent Dr. Cain Jagodzinski said he believes the bond is in the best interest of local students, teachers and the overall community. He has tried to address concerns about past spending by making the expenditures from the 2013 bond open to the public, and he believes “getting out of the rental business” at the 50-year-old Four Peaks building will allow for more funds to go toward students and teachers.

Jagodzinski also released a cost breakdown from the Four Peaks building to the public on Friday, May 5. The total cost of operating Four Peaks over the past 12 months was $205,081, and only $17,600 of that is estimated from overall district expenses like landscaping and pest control.

FHUSD gained $88,980 in rent revenue over the past 12 months, but their total losses from the Four Peaks building over the past 12 months are approximately $116,101.

“If we’re talking about saving money, and that’s what I’ve heard over and over again, we have to look at every opportunity to save, every opportunity to put money aside,” Jagodzinski said in response to dissent. “I guess I’m confused, because this is a loss, and we’ve got to address it.”

Jagodzinski reviewed his notes from conversations around the election last year and stated he reread all the letters to the editor printed in The Times to better address local concerns this year. Jagodzinski has pointed to the 2021 Gordian Facilities Needs Report several times in the last few meetings and said last week that he is only asking for what the district needs.

The Gordian report states that FHUSD will need $27.9 million to address facilities needs over the next 10 years. The report details the needs of each system (i.e., electrical, plumbing, exteriors, etc.), by location, and by urgency. The Gordian report is available online by going to fountainhillsschools.org, and then clicking on “Meeting Files” under the “Governing Board” tab.

At one point during the May 9 meeting, Settle accused Superintendent Jagodzinski of “fearmongering” after he said that repairs need to happen, and the damage and costs will only get worse over time if left unaddressed. The crowd had thinned out over the course of the four-hour meeting, but a response from the remaining public led to President Reed needing to gavel for order before Saar called for the question.

Jagodzinski shared his recommendation for a $25 million bond through a Falcon Focus newsletter on Monday, May 8, and a strong majority of public comments from over 20 stakeholders at the beginning of the meeting extended support for Jagodzinski and his plans for FHUSD’s future.

All registered voters in the town of Fountain Hills will have the opportunity to decide on the bond and Four Peaks building this fall. More information will become available as early voting approaches, with full details to be provided once voter information material has been finalized.