School answers the tough questions

Is the school reaching for the stars in a time of economic woe?

Or is it embarking on a much-needed overhaul that should have been funded years ago?

The crowd was polarized along those lines at the recent PTSA forum about the upcoming school Maintenance and Operations Levy and a bond, where Butch Reifert, managing partner of the architecture firm Mahlum, answered questions about the $35 million bond project.

Community member Steve Henigson’s comments dominated the evening: It is going to cost $70 million to pay off a $35 million bond because of interest rates. He wondered what the minimum improvements are that the school needs, if there was a fudge factor in the estimates, and what the $10 million soft costs include.

“We can’t ask for a bond that is just construction costs, (i.e. $25 million),” school board member Keith Whitaker said.

The $10 million soft costs includes permitting, sales tax, consulting fees, and a contingency to pay for changes to the plans, which is industry standard.

Reifert explained that in a project of this size, there’s no way to know the exact costs until the bond is approved and they can finish the design process.

Board members cited Mahlum’s “incredible” record for accurate estimates. The firm has designed and overseen construction in hundreds of public school projects in the Pacific Northwest over the past 70 years.

Superintendent Barbara Kline acknowledged the high interest rates.

“This is not a promise, but we’re working on getting Build America Bonds, which are zero interest,” she said. “We’re working on reducing interest costs.”

“If this doesn’t pass, what parts are urgent,” asked Joe Ciscowski.

“After years of preparation, the board has reduced the project to this,” Whitaker said. “We want to do it right.”

Many in the room wondered why the current school buildings are falling apart.

Ed Sutton, who was on the school board in the late 1970s when a $1.7 million bond was passed to build the middle school, spoke about the construction limitations of the era.

“So why is it falling down now? Because in a small, poor community, we did the best we could,” he said. “We squeezed every dollar we could out of the community. The process that this board has gone through is extensive. We’ve stretched the life of these buildings past reality.”

Velma Doty said she has voted for school bonds before, and put her trust in previous school boards, but the buildings have not lasted. She asked for assurance that these new buildings will endure 50 plus years.

Board member Janet Brownell spoke to the “sterling reputation of Mahlum” and the vetting process the board undertook in choosing a firm. Board chair Scott Lancaster called previous schools that Mahlum has worked for, and heard rave reviews.

“They have a passion for well-constructed buildings,” Brownell said.

Justin Paulsen, who owns the construction company Terra Firma Northwest, asked board members what the plan is to maintain the new energy systems and buildings.

“I believe that $35 million is a bargain for what we’d be getting. But how will we take care of it?” he asked.

Whitaker explained that the new buildings would be using low maintenance building materials, and the size of the new campus is only increasing eight percent. The cost of maintenance per square foot is going down enough to cover the increase in size.

Kline said the school is hiring a new maintenance technician and developing a position for a facility manager. After Mahlum finishes a school project, it trains the maintenance crew and periodically checks up on the district to make sure the systems are working properly.

Andrea Hendricks asked why the school was building a career and technical education building that is being touted as a community center. She said the island has plenty of spots, including the library, the senior center, and Orcas Center, that provide a venue for events and groups.

Board members explained that the CTE building will be a spot for student courses that are already going on, like woodworking, applied physics, art, and the computer lab. Community uses will be encouraged, but are not the primary function.

Hugh Hendricks voiced trepidation about the declining real estate market and its effect on the bond.

“You’ve done magnificent work, but I’m worried about how it will be paid for in the midst of a depression,” he said.

Parent Hilary Canty saw the project as a boost to the island.

“Investing in this school is an investment in this community,” she said. “In 1978, we didn’t have 4500 residents and competition from private schools.”

About the levy and bond

The first proposition on the ballot is a renewal of the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) levy, where almost 20 percent of the school’s budget comes from. It helps pay for staff, transportation, maintenance, food service, and extra-curricular activities.

The second proposition is for a bond. A bond is a way for the school district to make major repairs and upgrades to facilities. The last bond was paid off in December.

It was during repairs made under the last bond that it was discovered that the middle school buildings, which include the cafeteria, woodshop, library, music room and other classrooms, were approaching the end of their useful life. Major repairs are also needed in the elementary and high schools, the old gym and other school property.

The combined bond and levy rate is $1.33 per $1000 assessed property value, which is one of the lowest rates in the state. The old bond rate was 37 cents; if the measure is approved, it will go up to 72 cents. The current levy rate is 27 cents, and if the new levy is approved, it will go to 61 cents.

Cost summary for the bond project

Elementary School (renovate): $4.78 million

Middle School (replace): $3.54 million

Library (replace): $1.12 million

Old Gym (renovate): $1.27 million

High School (renovate): $.78 million

Career & Tech Ed (CTE) (new): $2.61 million

District Administration (replace): $.73 million

OASIS (new): $.99 million

Food Service/Commons (replace): $3.02 million

Music (replace): $1.07 million

Waldron (renovate): $.54 million