Option C: Continue present bus barn system

The cost of a new bus barn for the Decorah School District would be fairly high.

The Business Park proposal carries a price tag of $1,893,978, while the Fox & Coon Club proposal carries a price tag of $2,056,285.  Both of those are "base bids"--they do not include the price tag of roughly $965,000 to build a steel canopy to shelter the buses from the weather.

The Decorah School District currently pays $4,000 a month to rent a bus barn property on College Drive.  That means the Business Park location would break even after 473 months--just under 40 years, while the Fox & Coon Club location with a steel canopy to shelter the buses would have a price tag of nearly $3 million and would break even in 60 years.

However, doing nothing means some existing problems do not get solved.  The school district is running out of space at its current location--even before North Winneshiek becomes part of the Decorah district.  Supporters of building a new bus barn say the school district can use PPEL funds to pay the costs.  Of course, using PPEL funds for the bus barn would mean they wouldn't be available to use for other building projects.

Comments on Option C should be made to Superintendent Mike Haluska at michael.haluska@decorah.k12.ia.us or at (563) 382-4208.