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NFV Update

October 1, 2021

NFV UpdateOctober 1, 2021

On November 2, 2021, the voters of North Fayette Valley will be asked to support the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) that will be used to help maintain and update our facilities.


PPEL is not new to the area as both North Fayette and Valley have historically supported their schools’ PPEL funding. In 2018, PPEL was not put on the ballot and expired for the new NFV district. This funding source is used to pay for our school facilities, transportation expenses in addition to other areas specifically authorized in Iowa Code.


There are several important distinctions between the district’s General Fund and PPEL funding. The General Fund is used to pay for services directly related to supporting our students in classrooms, such as staff, textbooks/materials, and the energy source to operate electrical or natural gas equipment, and diesel fuel for buses. It’s important to note that approximately 80% of the General Fund pays the salaries of the nearly 200 employees that serve our district. PPEL cannot be used to pay employee salaries.


North Fayette Valley has a good number of facility updates that need to be addressed. Our aging buildings are solid, well-put-together structures, however, we have components that are nearing the end of useful life. This is a term used when the repair is no longer an option due to cost or inability to find parts for the equipment. Our heating systems are prime examples of this in several of our schools. Additionally, we have targeted a variety of health and safety issues that we would like to address, such as air exchange to aid in virus mitigation and elimination. The district will also see long-term savings through the replacement or updating of various building components. Several examples would be replacing single-pane windows, purchasing solar arrays, replacing poorly insulated aluminum wall panels, and ensuring we have energy-efficient equipment.


The district is proposing a $1 per $1,000 increase. This is $.34 below the amount that could be levied. In an effort to help control the local tax rate, the NFV Board of Education decided to ask for the $1 rate, rather than the maximum possible rate of $1.34.


Establishing the voted PPEL funding stream is very important to NFV. The district projection indicates that the current funding from other sources is not enough to maintain and update the buildings and property. By supporting the voted PPEL, the district will be able to put in place a long-term maintenance and update plan.


Please contact Superintendent Joe Griffith with any questions regarding the November 2, 2021, Physical Plant and Equipment Levy vote.