Helena school leaders outline $147 million-plus bond to replace aging high schools and CTE facilities

Helena school district officials told the City of Helena commission on Aug. 13 that they plan to ask voters to approve a multimillion-dollar bond to rebuild Helena High, Kessler and Capitol High and upgrade career and technical education facilities.

The district presented facility assessments and a bond proposal that officials said would address what they described as a backlog of deferred maintenance and safety upgrades that exceed what routine budgets can cover. Todd Merrill, facilities director for the Helena School District, said the district's total deferred maintenance is about $100 million to $110 million; the three high-school projects alone represent roughly $53 million of that total, he said, with about $30 million at Helena High, $20 million at Capitol High and $3 million at Kessler.

Superintendent Josh McKay and other district leaders said rebuilding on existing campuses is the preferred approach so students can remain in school during phased construction. McKay said Helena High's steam boilers and underground terminal systems are nearing end of life and that…