FIT FOR THE FUTURE
PAGE 2
Voters approve Fit for the Future referendum;
construction to begin on projects this spring
cont. from page 1
Timeline and details for construction
and renovation projects
Andover High School:
Chuck Holden, the district’s chief operations officer, said Anoka-Hennepin has already
started pre-construction testing and environmental work at both sites, and has had meetings
with city and county officials as the planning process ramps up. The work done thus far will
allow the school district to begin construction as early as April 2018 on the new schools,
with the goal for both to be ready for the start of the 2019-20 school year. Construction on classroom additions and the cafeteria and
auditorium expansions will begin summer 2018 with completion
set for fall 2019. Construction on gym/fitness spaces begins summer
2020 with completion set for fall 2021.
In addition to the new schools, nine other large-scale projects will be done, including
major additions to all five traditional high schools, as well as construction projects at both
campuses of Anoka Middle School for the Arts, Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy/Jackson
Middle School, and the River Trail Learning Center. Construction will begin summer 2018 and continue through
2020. Classroom additions will be the priority with completion set
for fall 2019. All other work will extend until summer 2020 (cafeteria,
fieldhouse, and fitness spaces).
Blaine
NEW Elementary
School Site
125th Ave. NE
“For a variety of reasons,
not all of the construction will
happen at once, but rather
be rolled out in three phas-
es,” Holden said. “Within
four years, we hope to have
all projects completed.” Fred Moore: Construction will begin spring 2020 on the additional
classrooms, and the front office and cafeteria moves. Completion set
for fall 2021.
Washington: Construction will begin spring 2020 on the additional
classrooms, cafeteria and gym expansions. Completion set for fall 2021.
Check out the sidebar
(to the right) for specific
details and the timeline for
renovation and construction
projects. Construction will begin with classroom additions and the cafeteria
expansion during summer 2018 with completion set for fall 2019.
Construction on fieldhouse and fitness expansions and the front office
move will begin summer 2020, with completion set for fall 2021.
History
A 37-acre parcel of land on the
northwest corner of Lever
Street and 125th Avenue NE
(Main Street, Highway 14) in
Blaine will be the site of a new
elementary school.
NEW Elementary
School Site
170th Ave. NE
A 38-acre parcel of farmland
along the east side of 170th
Avenue NW and County Road
5 (Nowthen Boulevard) in
Ramsey will be the site of a
new elementary school.
Ramsey
Anoka High School:
The Fit for the Future
referendum came after 18
months of facilities planning,
which included recommen-
dations made by a 32-mem-
ber community task force, as
well as feedback from the
community during a series
of meetings.
“We took the task force
recommendations to the
community twice (over) nine
months to make sure we had
their input and that voters
understood what the School
Board was asking,” Law said.
“The referendum results show
the community was informed,
understood the recommenda-
tions, and responded with
support.” ■
Anoka Middle School for the Arts
Blaine High School:
Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy/Jackson Middle School:
Construction will begin spring 2020 on the additional classrooms,
media center and gym, as well as the kitchen/cafeteria expansion.
Completion set for fall 2021.
Champlin Park High School:
Construction will begin summer 2018 with completion of the
classroom additions, and the cafeteria, fieldhouse and fitness
expansions set for fall 2020.
Coon Rapids High School:
Construction will begin fall 2018 on the front entry move with
completion set for winter 2019. Construction will begin spring 2020
on the additional classrooms, front office move and fitness expansion,
with completion set for fall 2021.
New elementary schools in Blaine/Ramsey:
Construction will begin spring 2018 with completion set for fall 2019.
River Trail Learning Center:
Construction will begin spring 2020 on the additional classrooms and
special education improvements. Completion set for fall 2021.
All schools:
Science, media center, flexible learning and/or special education
improvements will be occurring at all district schools from 2018
through 2021. Smaller general improvements will occur from 2021
through 2023. ■
167th Ave NW
School Board approves $150 million bond sale as first
phase of Fit for the Future plan moves forward
The $150 million bond package is the first installment of $249 million, voter-approved bond sale
Anoka-Hennepin’s School Board approved a $150
million sale during its Jan. 22 meeting, which will pro-
vide funding for the first phase of building projects
included in the district’s Fit for the Future referendum
and facility improvement plan.
Stacy Childers, with Springsted Incorporated, the
district’s financial advisor, assisted the district in selling
the bonds, and said a competitive bidding climate
attracted seven firms to submit proposals.
Robert W. Baird and Company, Incorporated and
syndicate submitted the winning proposal with a true
interest rate of 3.2675 percent. Childers said the low
interest rates are reflective of Anoka-Hennepin’s
strong credit quality and the sheer size of the
bond sale.
“When investors see $150 million from a high credit
district like Anoka-Hennepin, they snatch it up,” she said.
In all, seven bids were received on the $150 million
bond sale, with true interest costs spread by just 0.07
percentage points between them all. Baird and
Company, and the 34 other financial institutions part
of the syndicate, submitted the winning bid, which
was, .27 percent below analysts and district estimates
for the sale.
“Every step of the way where we have an opportunity
to try and improve on what the cost of the referendum
is, we’re slowly reducing that from what we estimated,”
Board Chair Tom Heidemann said.
The $150 million bond sale is this first installment
of bonds that will be sold as part of the $249 million
referendum approved by voters last November. The
remainder will be sold in 2020.
Moody’s credit upgrade
In conjunction with the bond sale, it was announced
that Anoka-Hennepin’s credit rating was upgraded by
Moody’s Investment Service from Aa2 to Aa1.
Childers said fewer than five Minnesota school dis-
tricts have an Aa1 rating. “Congratulations,” she said to
the School Board. “It’s a rare occurrence, and it doesn’t
happen that often either with cities and counties, so
you should be very proud.”
According to Moody’s, the upgrade to Aa1 from Aa2
reflects the district's sizeable and growing tax base,
well-managed financial position, healthy reserves and
stable enrollment. The rating further incorporates the
district's overall leverage related to long-term debt and
pension liabilities, which is moderate relative to the
district's operating budget position, but elevated in
relation to the tax base. ■