Snowline trustees hear Measure J progress: roughly $30 million in Fund 21, DSA approval and constructability work underway

Snowline Joint Unified officials updated the Board of Trustees on Measure J-funded modernization projects and related state funding on June 17, reporting that bond proceeds are now in district accounts, state approvals for at least one modernization have been obtained, and the district is advancing “constructability” reviews with its construction manager to refine estimates and reduce later change orders.

The update matters because Measure J and related state modernization funds will fund multiple school modernizations, campus security upgrades and other facility projects across the district. Board members were told that having construction management and updated cost estimates in hand will guide bidding and sequencing for several large projects.

District presenters said about $30 million is currently in Fund 21 for the bond program. “Money is in fund 21. Yes. The money is in fund 21 about $30,000,000,” a district speaker said during the presentation. Bill Flynn, the district budget lead, confirmed the availability of those funds.

Trustees were told the district has selected a construction management firm, Ledesma and Meyer, which presenters said has decades of High Desert experience. Jeff Carter, who was introduced in the meeting as part of the team, was thanked for joining the project. The firm is working on constructability reviews — a process in which the construction manager and architect scrutinize designs on site and identify potential issues and cost drivers before bids go out.

Bill Flynn summarized the constructability work and timing: “Getting those cost estimates is a big piece of things,” he said. He added the district expects updated cost estimates for several modernization projects in July and will then move to multi-prime bidding. A district presenter explained the difference in delivery method: instead of the traditional design–bid–build (one general contractor), the district will pursue a construction management multi-prime approach where the construction manager helps the district bid prime trades directly. The presenter said the district expects this approach to reduce markups and change orders by improving pre-bid site review and trade-level engagement.

The board was also updated on state review and funding steps: the district reported it received DSA (Division of the State Architect) reapproval in early June and has submitted materials to the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC). “About a week later, OPSC said, ‘hey. We're ready to fund you guys. Do you have DSA approval?’ Okay. Yeah,” a district official said. Presenters cautioned that eligibility and final funding depend on OPSC processes; some numbers shown to the board reflected prior eligibility calculations and may change when final bids and inflation are reconciled.

District staff reviewed how state matching works for modernization projects: the board was reminded that the typical state-local matching percentages have evolved under Proposition 2 and Prop 98 calculations, and that the district previously planned to “front” 60% of state-eligible costs on a small group of projects to obtain better bids. Staff reported the district received a 90-day funding notification from OPSC for some projects (Baldy Mesa, Chaparral), which reduces the need to front that share and frees up capital in Fund 01 and other reserves more quickly.

Financial figures discussed at the meeting included a Measure J balance shown to the board (presenters referred to $29.08 million allocated to projects from Measure J) and a Fund 01 line that had previously held roughly $9.9 million the district planned to use as a temporary front to match state funding. Presenters described that number as likely to drop because two projects had already received 90-day OPSC notifications. Presenters cautioned that OPSC “eligibility” amounts differ from actual bid costs and that the district may need to cover any difference if bids exceed eligibility.

Board members asked practical questions about sequencing and site impacts. Staff described typical constructability findings that reduce change orders and cited examples — such as unexpected underground pipes — that can always arise despite pre-bid work. The district emphasized weekly coordination meetings among project staff, site administrators and the construction manager during pre-bid and construction phases.

No binding board action was required during the presentation; trustees received the briefing and later approved routine consent and administrative items. District leaders said they will present updated cost estimates and a revised spending plan to the board when the new estimates and OPSC funding letters are finalized.