Voters in the Stevensville School District have been presented a combined Elementary and High School improvement bond totaling about $22 million. Over 6,000 ballots have been mailed out and ballots must be returned by election day, May 8.
Some of the costs are shared by both the high school and the elementary school. The proposed Elementary School projects are estimated to cost $9,152,000 (including interest) and would increase taxes on a house with a market value of $100,000 by $3.85 per month or $46.26 per year. It would cost the owner of a house with a market value of $200,000 a total of $7.71 per month or $92.51 annually. The proposed High School projects are estimated to cost $12,971,000 (including interest) and for the taxpayer of a house with a market value of $100,000 it would cost $4.09 per month or $$49.07 per year. The owner of a house with a market value of $200,000 would pay $8.18 per month or $98.14 annually.
Improvements to the elementary school include building safety upgrades, entrance upgrades, construction of new classrooms, a playground re-location, and changes in the parking and drop-off areas. Improvements to the high school include safety upgrades, parking relocation, classroom renovation, student commons, library and restroom renovations and addition of flexible classroom spaces. Costs shared between the two include a new bus shop, maintenance shop, restrooms, concessions and dressing room, a grandstand and modern track as well as tennis court renovations.
Stevensville School District Superintendent Bob Moore took some time out to discuss the bond issue. He said the district reached out to everyone in the community and at the school for input on this proposal. He said response from the community was largely positive but that there were some critics. He said a couple of factions formed during the process, one pushing really hard for a performing arts center and the other pushing really hard for a new gymnasium and weight room. Neither of those projects is included in the bond proposal.
Moore said that those options were considered and a total of $36 million in facility maintenance and improvement projects were identified by the architects. He said the school board scrutinized these projects and identified $16.6 million that would positively impact the safety, accessibility, growth, and modernization of the school.
“We have a 1960 building that has never been touched since being constructed,” said Moore. “It’s had no infrastructure upgrades, the restrooms are not handicapped accessible and the urinals, toilettes and sinks are all 1960 vintage.”
He said the athletic fields have no running water and no sewer. “This is an essential need, not an option,” he said. “When you have large crowds coming for events like track and soccer and no running water or sewer it’s not acceptable.”
The current grandstands have been declared to be unsafe by engineers.
“They are not safe and that constitutes a huge liability,” he said. He said neither he, nor the board, nor the community, after knowing this, could allow the use of it with a clear conscience.
Moore said, “I’m confident in the board’s decision. It was not an easy one. The Facility Committee agonized over what to do. But we have a gym. Not the nicest perhaps, but functional and we have three spaces that could be used for events. But right now, we don’t have a functional track and the tennis courts are failing.” He said the track is not the right length and is not usable when it’s wet. He said students in track are being bused to Corvallis. The tennis courts have 2” wide cracks running the length of some courts.
Moore noted that education and technology have changed tremendously in recent years.
“When these building were constructed they could not predict the infrastructure that would be required to accommodate this new technology,” said Moore.
Then there is the parking issue. “It’s major,” said Moore. He said having grade school kids cross an active street to reach the playground multiple times per day is a safety issue. He said there are crossing guards, but there is no reason to run the risk when it can be resolved.
“Another thing I’ll say is that part of having a healthy economy and a healthy community is having a good school system,” said Moore. “As young families look for a community to raise their kids, they look at the school system. We want to attract these people by having a modern instruction facilities.
“Ultimately we want to make this an attractive community where people and businesses want to come and people are confident in the school system. With that confidence young businesses can find employees that are well trained and able to be employed in technology, business or some trade. These are all important skills within a community that can fill a niche. We want to make sure that we are providing students who can fill those niches, which brings families in, which brings businesses, which contributes to the health of the community.”