USD 407 Special $13.5 Million Bond Election, What You Need to Know Before Voting March 3rd
March 3 is the date of the special election for Russell County USD 407 to try and pass a $13.5 million bond to help with improvements to three education buildings in Russell.
This bond issue is the same as the issue presented and failed in the November 2025 general election. The question that will be presented on the ballot is: Shall the following be adopted? Shall Unified School District No. 407, Russell County, Kansas (Russell), issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $13,500,000, to pay the costs to construct, furnish and equip: (a) improvements, renovations and additions to Simpson Elementary School, including new music rooms and storm shelters, building improvements, and ADA improvements; (b) improvements, renovations and additions to Bickerdyke Elementary School, including new commons areas and storm shelters, HVAC, plumbing and electrical improvements, building improvements, and ADA improvements; (c) improvements and renovations to Russell Junior-Senior High School, including HVAC, plumbing and electrical improvements, building improvements, and security and ADA improvements; and (d) all improvements related thereto (the “Project”); and pay costs of issuance and interest on the Bonds during construction of the Project, all pursuant to the provisions of K.S.A. 10-101 et seq., K.S.A. 25-2018(f), K.S.A. 72-5457, and K.S.A. 72-5458 et seq.?
The Steering Committee also has narrowed down the priorities to 4 distinct points:
- Safety and Security
- HVAC and Plumbing
- ADA Accessibility
- Efficiency
The details include improvements and additions to Bickerdyke Elementary School, Simpson Elementary School, and Russell Junior-Senior High School.
Simpson Elementary
- Construction of a new music room, giving music and art each their own space.
- The new music room will also double as a storm shelter, a high priority identified by the committee.
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- Structural repairs to the kindergarten wing flooring (currently modular units over 30 years old).
- Updates to ADA accessibility and interior doors and hardware.
Bickerdyke Elementary
- Addition of a new commons area with restrooms and a staff lounge, which will serve as the building’s storm shelter.
- This new space will also connect the main building to the stand-alone gym, improving safety and convenience.
- Replacement of aging window units with an HVAC system.
- Updates to plumbing and electrical systems.
- Replacement of the outdated wheelchair lift (which currently takes 13 minutes to move from the kitchen to the second floor).
Russell Junior-Senior High School
- Updates to plumbing and piping to address deferred maintenance.
- Improvements to ADA accessibility throughout the building.
- Construction of a secure entrance, needed at our most trafficked building.
- Addition of staff restrooms to meet the needs of our team.
- Installation of HVAC in the main competition gym, which serves as a classroom, practice facility, community space, and the site of major events like graduation.
(Note: The electrical system is not included in this bond, as it has already been upgraded. The recent upgrades now allow safe operation of window units and prepare the building for future mechanical improvements.)
There will be a county-wide property tax enforced for property owners which will help to pay for the bond. Increases in yearly property taxes for residential homes can range from $69 to $276 and $150 to $600 for commercial properties. The estimated yearly added taxes per residential property and commercial property value are pictured below:
Advanced voting started on February 17 and will continue until Monday, March 2 at noon at the Russell County Courthouse. On March 3, you can vote at your ward's designated spot from 7 am to 7 pm.
You can find the entire USD 407 Bond Packet linked below with more information on estimated tax hits and more details on where the money will go.