Schools to seek bond in November

Based on an extensive facilities review report given Wednesday night, the Sisters School Board voted to kick off a $14.5 million school bond campaign for the November 4 election.

For the county-average $235,000 home, this 15-year bond would amount to $149 per year in property taxes, or $12.42 per month.

The facilities review report was the result of an intensive school facilities review process conducted through weekly meetings over the last two months by a mix of district personnel and local interested citizens. Most committee members had some expertise in public facilities, commercial construction and/or public finance.

District Operations Manager Leland Bliss gave a detailed item-by-item PowerPoint presentation, which included photo documentation of the facilities' issues with parking lots, furniture, doors, windows and HVAC systems. Below-standard conditions were in most cases the result of underfunding of facilities upkeep due to four years of drastic school budget cuts.

Superintendent Jim Golden said, "This bond proposal (is) for improving safety, efficiency, and providing an effective learning environment. In (the last) five years we have not invested in our facilities. In order to maintain small class sizes, and since most of our budget is people, we have tried to hold onto as many people as we can. We have not invested in facilities (and) deferred maintenance, text books, or computer infrastructure."

The last major spending was five years ago, just before Golden arrived, when the district issued controversial full faith and credit options to fix the Sisters Elementary School roof, and added a modular classroom to the campus.

"Sisters High opened in 2003," said Golden. "Since that time we have experienced a great recession; the district has not invested in our facilities as would be normally the case. Industry standard for a district of our size would have us socking away from $800,000 to $1 million a year for maintenance, and we have not done that."

The bond will include new safety and security measures and ADA upgrades. It will also include HVAC upgrades and repairs at Sisters Middle School and the high school. Golden noted that the high school HVAC and the roof have never worked appropriately. Golden also pointed out problems with parking.

"If you have been to our parking lots at any of the schools, our parking lots are a disaster," said Golden. "A lawsuit waiting to happen."

A major upgrade to the facilities at Reed Stadium is also included in the bond.

Bliss said, "There are lots of safety concerns and ADA issues with the stadium. The stadium track cannot be used next year due to heaves and tree roots. Even if the bond passes, there will not be sufficient time fix the track for the 2014-2015 season."

The committee pointed out that the track base layer also needs to be upgraded and redone from the resurfacing done in 2003. Golden pointed out that Reed is the only stadium in Central Oregon that still uses porta-potties in place of permanent bathroom facilities.

Significant technical upgrades included are in the bond. A new districtwide phone system is in order. The current systems (different at each facility and not connected) are no longer covered by their manufacturer and spare parts are no longer available.

An upgrade of the 10-year-old student information system(s) is also planned. This would be a "one-stop-shop" for parents that would include, grades, calendar, cafeteria menu and payment and special event postings.

The bond will also provide a significant upgrade in the connectivity speed and storage capacity of the schools' computer systems to allow the one-to-one laptop program that was started several years ago to move forward.

Golden shared that particular attention will be paid to ensuring access for those without computer skills or without access to high-speed broadband Internet.

"We are one of the highest performing districts in the state, but there is still a lot we need to do to make our system more inclusive," said Golden.

According to state law, the school district can provide information to the public regarding the issues covered in the school bond, but the district personnel cannot promote passage of the bond in any way.

It is anticipated that a citizens' committee will be formed along the lines of the successful local option committee last year. The district will also offer three or four facilities tours over the next several months for local citizens interested in seeing what the bond will cover.