SNOHOMISH — Cheers, smiles and applause rang through the Snohomish School District office as the school board announced its intention to go forward with a bond on the May ballot that could ask voters for as much as $141 million.
The money would mostly pay for a new high school and renovations at Snohomish High School.
"Going out there for this bond scares the daylights out of me," said school board President Tom Pendergast at Wednesday night’s meeting. "But it’s exciting. We’ve already got the best teachers and best staff. With the best facilities, we’ll be unstoppable."
The board first decided to take the recommendations made by a citizens committee of more than 35 people and use them as the guide for the next 10 years of building improvements in the district.
The group, formed in March, looked at all the district’s schools, figured out what the biggest needs were and presented its case to the school board last month.
The board also decided to form another citizens committee — possibly with many of the same members who made the building recommendations — to oversee the use of the bond money.
The May bond is the first phase of a three-part process that will include two more bonds that total an additional $140 million. The actual amount of the bond will be established after district staff review project costs. The projects also could be eligible for more than $20 million in matching dollars from the state.
Most of the first bond would pay for the new high school and remodeling Snohomish High School. The estimated costs are $60 million and $55 million, respectively.
There also would be some money for a new elementary school, repairs for safety and preservation of some buildings, and technology improvements.
"We’re going out for a bond at a time when bond rates are at a historic low, so we’re getting good value for our money," Pendergast said.
Board members thought it would be a good idea for voters to know that an independent citizens group will be watching the money if a bond is passed.
"We keep hearing that there’s not this level of trust," board member Dennis Wick said. "I think this would give the community a greater level of comfort, knowing there’s somebody looking over the money, that it’s under a watchful eye."
Jay Hagen, the board’s vice president, agreed.
"The trust in us is … OK," he said, prompting a laugh from the crowd. "We (need to) mention to people there’s someone else besides us watching over this money."
Ty Costa of Snohomish said he appreciates the citizens group’s work, but said the bond may be asking a lot in the midst of a struggling economy.
"Money is a problem in this state, and we need to recognize that," Costa said, noting the tax breaks given to the Boeing Co. "We don’t have a solid foundation for this proposal."
The board also asked Superintendent Bill Mester to start the search for an architect for the new high school. Mester assured the audience that the move doesn’t assume the bond will pass. He said the district just needs to be prepared in case the bond passes.
"We can start the search without paying for anything," Mester said, noting that the architect could provide initial renderings to give people an idea what the school would look like. "And if the bond passes, we’ll hit the ground running."
Reporter Victor Balta: 425-339-3455 or vbalta@heraldnet.com.
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