We are hoping you join us in voting “YES” for the $11.9 million construction school bond on your November ballot.
In early 2011, the school board engaged local building professionals, lead by contractor Clyde Duke, to examine the middle school classrooms, the library, the cafeteria/music rooms, OASIS classrooms, and woodshop (CTE) space to see how these thirty year old structures could be saved in order to save cost. In conjunction with the advice of Mahlum architect and local Orcas resident, Butch Reifert, a recommendation was made to the school board to rehabilitate these buildings to correct seismic, ADA, and health/safety issues.
Outdated classrooms will also be improved for better learning. It was recommended to use existing foundations, and as well as replace hard-to-maintain building materials with those that are newer, lower-maintenance, and more efficient. This rehabilitation will save on energy consumption immediately reducing energy costs.
The bond on the November ballot reflects the recommendation of the local building professionals.
Now to cost: bond rates are historically low there is no better time to build. This new bond will replace the capital levy expiring next month. Your property taxes for this new bond will stay the same as the retiring levy, but will extend for 20 years.
For more information on the bond, we hope you will visit: www.orcasforhealthysafeschools.com. Or visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/VoteYesForThe1980sSchoolBond
Please vote YES for the school bond – it is the right time to do right for our Orcas Island schools.
Lisa Bronn
Janet Brownell
Velma Doty
Clyde Duke
Cathy Ferran
Wally Gudgell
Kate Long
Madie Murray
Patricia Slabaugh
It would be informative for the School Board to inform the public about the 20 year bond and levy plant that total $75, million dollar from 2010 to 2030 which was requested from them. This is all part of public record that is not always to the public.
Thank you,
Pierrette Guimond
Pierrette’s comment above is confusing to me as it appears to include some typos. Some clarification of meaning and intent would be appreciated.
It should of said:
This is all part of public record that is not always made available to the public.
Basically the School District has a 20 year bond and levies plan from 2010-2030 that gives a breakdown of what will be requested from public funding for a total of $75, million dollar.
Fred, Pierrette attended a meeting where a sample schedule of future levies was given to the school board by the Business Manager in public.
The sample illustrated how even with this bond, future school boards COULD (not will) address the needs of the district — technology, new buses, M&O without changing the amount tax payers are paying today. The point was to show how one levy would expire, ie: the tech levy, before asking voters for say a transportation levy.
This is not a plan. It was not voted upon by the board. It was an illustration only that was publicly requested by the Board Chair. It will be up to future boards to decide how to act in the best interest of the school district. It will be up to future voters how to decide.
The ONLY thing asked of voters this election are the capital bond and the tech levy. And, for full disclosure, the total cost of the bond over 20 years will be an estimated $17.68m. The tech levy is for 2 years only, $200k per year…
Here are the final sentences to my post above.(Sorry about my verbosity)…
The ONLY thing asked of voters this election are the capital bond and the tech levy. And, for full disclosure, the total cost of the bond over 20 years will be $17.68m. The tech levy is for 2 years only, $200k per year. Again, there is no $75m “plan.”
If you vote YES on both of these, your property tax payment will equal what you are paying today. The amount of the bond and tech levy replace the amount you are paying for a one year capital bond that retires in December. One amount replaces the other. And that was the point of the demonstration given to the school board.
All interested-
I was at the meeting where this information was originally requested and at the subsequent meeting where it was presented by the administration to
The board. I believe it was presented at the June board meeting. At the meeting it was printed and distributed to every member on the public who chose to pick it up.
The links to all of the information is available digitally in the school board section of the district web site.
For those interested, I have inserted a link here- a link that is readily accessible to the public: https://www.orcasislandschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/business-addenda6.28.12.pdf
Because I realize not everyone has access to the internet, I think it is also important to note that this morning I dropped in on the district office to see of I could get a hard copy of the document. The full account of board activity was sitting in a binder less than 10 feet from the front door of the Distrct office – clearly labeled as to its…
… Contents. I was allowed full and unquestioned access to all documentation. Additionally, while I was at the office I was asked by Keith if there was anything he could help me find. When I told him what I was looking for, he quickly and without hesitation printed me a hard copy for my records.
I would also like to echo some of Janet’s comments. At the meeting where this document was requested the board chair asked for a spreadsheet showing a bond and levy scenario. The crux of the request was to look at possible implications of ongoing funding on tax rates. The primary concern seemed to be an analysis of rates in an effort to avoid peaks and valleys over the next 20 years – looking for a normalized tax rate. At best, he was asking for a forecast… Not a plan.
As a citizen, taxpayer and customer of our district, I can say without hesitation that I believe they have made every effort required, and even gone beyond, to make public the documents required.
To all, Janet, Tony, Justin, school board, And all those involved in this process of not only creating a solution but putting your own personal skin in the game if you will. I applaud you and keep up your GREAT WORK, this is what Orcas Island needs and deserves.
This opportunity before our community has been not only scrutinized by the most critical, it has a consensus that we have not seen on Orcas in a long time. I see this bond passing with a warm and thoughtful margin.
Clyde Duke