About 65 Lyle school district residents were presented four proposed plans for school construction Thursday. School board members gave them a tour of the school to show them the drawbacks to the current building.

But by the end of the nearly three-hour long meeting, many wanted to know how the proposed plans would affect their property taxes.

As of yet, the district had no answers.

The meeting was meant to get feedback from the residents to see whether or not they want to continue with building plans, school board members said. Their financial advisors, Ehlers and Associates, would need to apply the numbers to see how they would affect certain property owners. The state's contribution cannot be figured out until plans are approved.

And so far, the four plans presented Thursday are preliminary and are open to adjustments at the school, which currently houses 280 students

But first, the school board wants to know if residents think district officials should pursue new construction and remodeling. Last fall, voters turned down an $11.1 million plan, in which the state would pay 38 percent of the cost. A couple of months later, the district sent out a survey to see if residents wanted to pursue new construction. Most said yes, but said it needed to be more affordable.

The new plans range in cost from $8.7 million to $9.9 million and three of them keep the 1957 elementary wing.

After the plans were presented, school board president Dwight DeBoer asked the residents to raise their hands if they wanted to pursue some sort of remodeling and construction plan.

About half the audience raised their hands.

But one resident protested that it wasn't fair to ask them to raise their hands because some might not be comfortable stating their view publicly.

DeBoer and Superintendent Jerry Reshetar decided they will send out another survey to see if the school should be remodeled and expanded.

From what residents heard in the tour, the school is lacking some technology and a ventilation system. Classroom sizes aren't up to state guidelines. Also, officials said there aren't enough fire exits on the third floor.

There is no middle school science lab. The high school science lab has six lab tables, but only two of them work.

During the tour, Larry Helgeson, a rural Lyle resident and 1969 graduate of Lyle School, asked if computers and other technology could be brought into the current school.

School board member Doug Young said computers and other equipment take up more space and require more electricity. The industrial technology room, for example, does not have the electrical capacity for computers, a tool essential for students to learn certain trades on, Young said.

But new construction is not required for updated electricity, Helgeson pointed out.

After the presentation, residents lingered to speak with school board members and administrators. Those who have farm property said they are concerned about tax increases. Others said they are willing to pay more property taxes if it means Lyle children will be attending an updated school.

The Lyle School Board will discuss the comments and plans at its Monday meeting. Board members said they thought the meeting went well, but that there were many steps to complete.

"It started to get a little intense," Young said of Thursday's meeting. "I think it's good to get it started again."

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at cari.quam@austindailyherald.com