Santa Rita trustees approve revised facilities phasing plan; summer projects, classroom modules planned

The Santa Rita Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday approved a revised facilities phasing plan and received a detailed status update on completed and upcoming construction and maintenance projects across district campuses.

The board voted to approve the revision after staff presented changes that gray out completed projects and moved several items to later phases. Trustee Cindy Lopez, Trustee Albariano and Trustee Jacob Sandoval were present for the vote; two trustees were absent. The board approved the agenda earlier and later approved the revised phasing plan by voice vote.

The update explained why the district treats the plan as a rolling, phase‑based document rather than a fixed five‑ or six‑year list. Melissa (staff member) told trustees that projects may be shifted depending on the timing of accompanying funding sources — for example, state funds for transitional kindergarten classrooms. “We pushed the transitional kindergarten classroom constructions farther out because we’re waiting on an update from our state government on when we can expect that funding,” Melissa said. She added the district was told by the governor last year to expect at least a one‑year delay.

Staff summarized completed work paid primarily from the bond fund, with some projects paid from Fund 14 (restricted for facility projects) or the district’s general fund set‑asides. Completed items listed by staff include infrastructure work at John Gutierrez (JGMS) to prepare for six new modular classrooms, two shade structures each at McKinnon and New Republic, a new restroom building at Santa Rita (funded by bond funds and Fund 14), three new portables and electrical upgrades at La Jolla, roofing and gutter repairs at New Republic and McKinnon, replacement of more than 200 lineal feet of sanitary sewer at Gavilan View, and new playgrounds or pour‑and‑play surfacing at several sites.

Staff said the JGMS campus will host six new modular classrooms over the summer and noted: “So we will not be having summer academy on that campus for sure.” The presentation included renderings for new classroom wings and courtyards at Gavilan View and JGMS and showed the phased approach the district will use to avoid displacing students during construction.

Funding details included the $24,900,000 bond measure the district previously approved and an initial bond sale of $9,000,000. Rosa (staff member) told trustees the district estimates a second bond sale of roughly $6,400,000 to $7,000,000 depending on market conditions and hopes to evaluate a May–July sale window. Staff said the district is monitoring market timing closely with its bond advisor, Miguel (staff member). Fund 14 was described as a district set‑aside created by a prior board resolution; staff reported about $130,000 remained in Fund 14, approximately $25,000 had been spent to date on in‑house beautification and verification work, and about $100,000 more was budgeted for the rest of the year.

Staff walked trustees through examples of in‑house maintenance and beautification tasks (painting, striping, replacing rainwater leaders), temporary‑housing painting, installation of 30x30 lockable storage sheds at school sites for large items, and plans to replace obsolete exterior features at the district office. Staff also described coordination with the Merced County Office of Education (MCOE) on demolition of two county‑owned portables at La Jolla, and ongoing coordination with Darren Fort, director of facilities at MCOE, on the lease and site work for the MCOE facility.

On state reimbursements for modernization projects, staff said districts must spend money up front and submit claims for reimbursement; trustees were told that the timeline from approval to actual receipt of state reimbursement often runs two to three years and can vary with state budget timing. Staff noted that modernization reimbursement is typically a 60/40 split (state/ district) under current rules, and that projects qualify based on building age and other criteria.

Trustees asked about contractor capacity, timing of reimbursements, and how the district decides which funding source (bond, Fund 14, or general fund set‑aside) pays for each project; staff described efforts to use one‑time or expiring funding sources where available and to sequence projects so bond dollars are stretched. Staff also flagged that increases in labor and materials and market interest rates are reasons the district is watching timing closely.

The board chair closed the agenda item after trustees expressed support for an annual facilities workshop to review phasing updates, and staff said they plan to bring the phasing plan back for reapproval on a calendar‑year schedule.

Votes at a glance

- Revised facilities phasing plan: motion to approve made and seconded; board approved by voice vote (ayes recorded). Present trustees: Cindy Lopez, Albariano, Jacob Sandoval; absent: Neil Patel, Sarah Turner.

Ending

Trustees told staff they appreciated the level of detail in the workshop and encouraged regular yearly reviews of the phasing plan to capture completed work and adjust timing based on funding and state reimbursements.