A Way Forward: Builders Prompt School Levy/Bond Discussion

At the May 24 Orcas Island School District (OISD) Board meeting, the ongoing situation of maintaining middle school buildings (the 1980s buildings) was again scrutinized by the board as they considered community support for bonds and levies.

Following two bond defeats to rebuild OISD structures, community members came together to discuss “A Way Forward” last year. From that group of 50 community members, a Builders’ Group was formed to advise the district on ways the most critical elements of the structure, function, safety and maintenance of the 80s buildings — the middle school classrooms, cafeteria, home ec room, woodworking shop, library, and district office — could be preserved. (To see their review, go to orcasissues.com/a-way-forward-for-orcas-schools-the-next-step)

At  the April 26 School Board meeting, the Builders Committee recommended gutting the 1980s buildings and rebuilding. The Builders Group then suggested the OISD board turn to the Financial Committee of “A Way Forward” to discuss how to pay for this strategy.

The Builders Group was led by builder Clyde Duke and architect David Kau and included  Justin Paulson, Glen Monson, Ron Wallace, John Campbell, Dave Russillo, Mark Padbury, Jonathan Loop, George Larson, David Will, Burke Thomas, Dwight Guss, Prescott Jones, April Duke, Bill Trogden, Butch Reifert (Mahlum) and Fred Klein.

At its April meeting, OISD board member Chris Sutton said, “We need to come up with a number that will pass and include the Builders Group rec, maybe tech, and a bus.”

OISD Board Member Janet Brownell said, “With the matching grant [of $100,000 pledged by the community and backed by Marilyn Anderson], the [Maintenance and Operations] levy and million dollars [awarded in a capital grant by the state last month], we’ve done a lot of due diligence in lowering the burden to taxpayers.” She added that other levies from local taxing districts are expected in the next two years.

It was noted that while a levy can pass with 50 percent approval from voters, a bond requires 60 percent approval to pass.

Business Manager Keith Whitaker clarified that capital levy money can be used for ongoing maintenance, whereas  bond funds may not be used for that purpose.

Board member Scott Lancaster spoke to both the pros and cons of a school funding measure this fall and concluded, “A lot of the same reasons from before are still lined up [to bring a bond before the voters}: low bond rates; low construction costs; and the involvement of the construction group now on board.

“This is a mess just waiting to happen; these buildings harbor a threat to the children and the staff,” Lancaster said.

Following meetings with the OISD Budget Advisory Committee in May, the board came to initial consensus at the May 24 meeting on an $11,000,000 bond proposal based on the  Way Forward Builders’ Group scenario, and a separate tech levy, both to be presented on the November 2012 ballot.

The board will review prospective repayment schedules of 10 or 20 years, and interest rate schedules.

August 7, 2012, is the last day to file ballot measures for the November 2012 election.