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Humboldt Unified interim candidate flags aging facilities, $19 million in grants and bus fleet issues
Summary
At a district town-hall, Brett Dahl identified aging buildings, a 25-year-old bus fleet and capital funding gaps as major challenges; he said the district has secured about $19 million in BRG grants through the state School Facilities Division.
Brett Dahl, the interim superintendent candidate for Humboldt Unified School District, told a town-hall audience that aging facilities and capital needs are among the district’s biggest challenges and described recent grant activity and local planning.
Dahl said the district has received about $19,000,000 in “BRG grants through the SFD,” and credited district staff including CFO Mike Tannehill and procurement specialist Jeanette Artisan for pursuing those funds. He explained that Arizona changed capital funding for schools in 2008 and that districts now rely on creative approaches and state grant programs to fund facility work.
“Some of our buildings are all about the same age,” Dahl said. “When something starts to go, they’re all gonna start to go.” He gave an example of pressure-release valves (PRVs), a maintenance component he said can be unexpectedly expensive when they fail. He also noted the district is operating buses that are about 25 years old.
Dahl said the district is developing a sustainability plan, is working with the CFO on weekly planning conversations, and has designated some funds for maintenance. He said a bond or override would help, but emphasized the district is pursuing other strategies because bond measures are not guaranteed to pass.
No formal budget or bond proposal was presented at the town-hall. Dahl’s comments were part of a candidate forum and did not constitute a board decision.
