Wenatchee takes another swing at a school bond

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Wenatchee takes another swing at a school bond

By Rachel Schleif
World staff writer

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

What it’d buy

Washington Elementary School

How much: $28,130,000

The highlights: Replace it with a new school and early childhood center.

Lincoln Elementary

How much: $21,194,000

The highlights: Remove the school’s 12 portables and build a new classroom wing and gym.

Pioneer Middle School

How much: $2,590,000

The highlights: Rebuild locker rooms; replace plumbing system and student seating section of the Apple Bowl; build a classroom from the old stage area and renovate the gym.

Wenatchee High School

How much: $21,000,000 in construction bond taxes, plus $41,000,000 in state match

The highlights: Relieve overcrowding hot spots, add and replace windows, renovate auditorium, replace water and air systems for the swimming pool, replace lighting, build more restrooms, replace carpet and flooring, repaint interior and replace fire alarm, phone and clock system.

Source: Wenatchee School District facilities committee

WENATCHEE — The list of Wenatchee school repairs hasn’t gotten any shorter since voters twice rejected a $75 million bond three years ago.

Students at Lincoln Elementary still attend class in “portable city,” a nickname for the 12 classroom portables outside of the school. Parents struggle with daily parking jams before and after school at Washington Elementary, the district’s oldest school. Wenatchee High School remains cramped and mostly windowless.

The question is — is the public ready for another bond measure on the ballot?

The school district’s facilities committee recommended Friday that the school board consider a $72 million bond measure. School board members seemed uneasy about the community’s receptiveness to the idea, and said it planned to gather public opinion before committing to an election.

John McQuaig

Wenatchee schools facility committee chairman

The new bond will raise the bond tax rate to an estimated $1.57 per thousand of assessed valuation, which means the average $250,000 home will pay about $18 a month, said facility committee chairman John McQuaig.

Property owners now pay about 73 cents per thousand, which is a significant drop from the $2.08 rate in 2007.

A $72 million bond would pay for a new Washington Elementary school, a new classroom wing at Lincoln Elementary, rebuilt lockers and bleachers at Pioneer Middle School and extensive renovations to Wenatchee High School.

The committee found the high school is eligible for $41 million in state match funds. If voters pass the $72 million bond, the state will chip in an additional $41 million for the high school. If the district accepts that state match funding, the school won’t be eligible again for 30 years.

McQuaig said the district was not aware of the state match in 2007 because the high school projects were limited to safety upgrades. At the time, the district planned to come up with a more comprehensive plan to address the high school’s aging systems and overcrowding after Washington, Lincoln and WestSide were renovated.

A few board members questioned whether to break up the bond into two — one for the high school and one for the other projects — or leave off some of the projects to improve the bond’s chances of passing.

“I want everything on list, but I don’t think we can afford to go after another bond and fail,” said board member Kevin Gilbert, who also served on the facilities committee. He said he isn’t sure if the board could sell the whole package to the public.

“We’ll have a lot of explaining to do,” said board president Walter Newman, adding the campaign message will be already complicated because of the number of projects, not to mention the $41 million state match.

Board member Laura Jaecks said she supports the whole bond package.

“It was the state matching dollars that tipped me over the edge,” she said. With the two most divisive issues resolved — WestSide and overcrowding at WHS — “the public is not so wishy-washy that they won’t get behind us,” she said.

Superintendent Brian Flones said he will come up with a strategy for gathering public opinion in August.

Rachel Schleif: 664-7139

schleif@wenatcheeworld.com

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» 16 comments on this story

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carpetbagger 2 years, 10 months ago

I'll chip in $18 a month!

Ted 2 years, 10 months ago

Me too.

I believe the children are our future.

That should be a song.

Complaining 2 years, 10 months ago

Not a Chance! Until these schools stop teaching in spanish, I'll vote NO every time! Property taxes are high enough. There's NO NEED to enable the hispanic community and pay more for teachers we do not need.

Robyn 2 years, 10 months ago

Complaining, What is so WRONG with the idea of helping to teach our children about different places/cultures around the world?

Seven 2 years, 10 months ago

I say YES.....My kids went to Washington school and it is way overdue for some changes. The kids deserve newer facilities. Our youth in this valley deserve the best.....

Resident 2 years, 10 months ago

Some of those buildings are almost 60 years old. Can't even support modern technology. The elementary schools and WHS are bursting at the seams. Prices will only go up. How often will we get a chance at an extra $40 million? . Vote YES!

riderofthestorm 2 years, 10 months ago

I'll vote Yes, but... WSD needs to get it through their thick heads that you can only continue to renovate WHS for so long. It's crowded because we need another high school! When will WSD realize this and set out building a 2nd high school at the opposite end of the District. There is land up in Sunnyslope that would be perfect for a new high school, but it won't last long!

lonedog3 2 years, 10 months ago

Does anyone realize that the "extra" $40 million is coming out of your pocket as well through higher taxes? This isn't free money the federal goverment is offering.

lincoln 2 years, 10 months ago

Rather than always concentrate on revenue, perhaps we could look at expenses (heaven forbid). Perhaps we even have to make some cuts of non-essential activities. Or, perhaps we could look at wages and benefits; for example, thanks to union negotiations teachers receive in the neighborhood of $1,000,000 in lifetime benefits when they retire (health insurance + pension) regardless of performance level. No, more money is NOT the issue; after all, how much do you suppose is spent per student in India and China? Today 90% of the PHD candidates at our universities in hard sciences are from India and China (which by itself is a very scary statistic), and they spend far less than what we spend. And private schools consistently perform much better on 30% less budget. Is the primary goal truly the education of our students, or extension of the status quo? When results improve, then, and only then, do they deserve more money. Rewards follow results, not the other way around.

Resident 2 years, 10 months ago

Actually, that money is set aside in the budget each year by the state for educational building. It's budgeted already. And it's from the state, not the feds. Yes, it's tax money but already set aside and costs you nothing extra. In fact, bonds help stimulate the economy because the bonds are sold to corporations, banks, and private investors allowing for more hiring to occur in the long run.

Hansen 2 years, 10 months ago

Just a clarification: The construction bond still needs 60 percent voter approval to pass. It's maintenance and operation levies that need a simple majority.

Rachel Schleif, World staff

DustyBod 2 years, 10 months ago

This is ridiculous. All the support shown through these comments yet when the letter was printed about WestSide (The school that consists of 2 dorm buildings and some portables) a good 80% of the comments were people complaining about how WestSide doesn't need any money. This goes to show how narrow minded and selfish the valley has become."Our youth in the valley deserve the best" Please explain to me how cramming 200 kids into some dorm buildings is "the best".