The district’s Facilities Committee agreed to move forward with detailed cost estimating for three major projects and signaled that any voter ballot on a capital project would likely occur in May rather than this fall.

Committee members said the three projects are: (1) mandatory restrooms and a concession area at the new high school stadium required by "state ed" for eligibility for other state capital funding; (2) a new "kiss-and-ride" loop behind the middle school to separate car drop-offs from bus traffic; and (3) an expansion of the middle school to provide a new cafeteria and improved food-prep area after committee members described the existing kitchen as "in dire need of repairs, both in functionality as well as structurally underneath."

The committee approved moving the three projects forward for costing but did not approve the projects themselves. Members said earthworks and schedule constraints make it unlikely the district could complete design and go to voters this fall; one committee member said, "it was decided that the [kiss-and-ride] would not be able to be completed by November, December to try and put a bond vote before the community this fall," and current thinking is to pair any bond question with the May budget vote.

Next steps: the Facilities Committee will meet again (noted in the meeting as "Monday the 29th at the high school at 6 p.m.") to review the building condition survey returned in the spring, compare its findings to the district project list, and refine the capital project package for board review. The board will (a) receive cost estimates, (b) refine proposed scopes, and (c) decide whether to place a capital project before voters. The board emphasized that any items required by state education officials must be addressed for the district to qualify for certain state capital funds.

Committee members asked staff to prioritize the state-required stadium restrooms/concessions project when producing cost estimates. The board will continue discussing timing and scope as the Facilities Committee returns its findings.