Atchison County schools seek tax hike for $1 million track rebuild

A worn junior-senior high track that has been resurfaced once already is now at the center of Atchison County Community Schools’ ask for a property-tax increase. The district says the proposed 2-mill hike would help finance a full rebuild of the track, a project priced at just under $1 million, while keeping other building repairs on schedule.

For a typical homeowner, 2 mills means an added $2 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. That works out to about $200 a year on a home with $100,000 in assessed value, a concrete cost for patrons being asked to weigh the track against roofs, classrooms and other long-delayed needs.

The district says the track was not part of the original 2024 facilities assessment that identified $3.2 million in immediate needs. That list already includes roof replacement at both the junior-senior high school and elementary school, an ADA-compliant playground surface, conversion of the little gym into two classrooms, resurfacing Circle Drive and new windows at the high school.

The track became a separate issue after that review. The 8-lane rubber surface has been in place since 1998 and was last resurfaced in 2020, but three separate companies evaluated it and agreed the foundation had deteriorated enough that a simple repair would only buy time. Their recommendation was a complete rebuild from the ground up, not another temporary fix.

The board had already moved the issue forward before approving the tax request. At its March 11 meeting, members approved seeking bids for a complete rebuild of the high school track and for renovations to the stadium bleachers, including ADA-accessible seating upgrades. At the April 8 regular meeting, the board discussed increasing Capital Outlay Authority by 2 mills for a total of 8 mills, signaling the funding plan was taking shape before the final vote.

On May 13, the board passed a resolution requesting authority for 2 additional mills of Capital Outlay for 10 years. The district later posted a June 1 letter about the recently published resolution, underscoring that the board was still explaining the request to parents and patrons after the vote.

The track rebuild comes as the district is juggling other capital projects, including auditorium lighting and audio upgrades backed by a $216,800 commitment from the Atchison County Community Foundation in March. USD 377 had 514 students in the 2023-24 school year, which means the cost of keeping major facilities in working order is being spread across a relatively small base.

For patrons, the question is not just whether the track looks rough. The district is framing it as a safety, access and long-term maintenance issue that affects athletics, physical education, school events and community use. If the extra mills do not move forward, the rebuild would be pushed back into a crowded list of needs, and the track would remain a visible sign of how much work still sits ahead.