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Sunnyside Unified unveils draft five-year capital plan; bond proposed to cover $128 million in needs
Summary
District staff presented a draft five-year capital plan that lists about $81 million in immediate and deferred repairs plus an estimated $47 million for Sunnyside High School work, for a planning total near $128 million.
District administrators presented a draft five-year capital improvement plan to the Sunnyside Unified School District Governing Board that catalogs immediate and long-term facility needs and sketches how the district would use a mix of override funds, state assistance and a potential bond to address them.
The plan identifies roughly $14.5 million in immediate repairs and $66.5 million in deferred maintenance across district sites, for a total of approximately $81 million in much-needed projects identified in the facility condition assessment, Carla Walters told the board. "In total, the immediate repairs in that year column totaled $14,500,000 and then the deferred maintenance for years 2 to 5 totaled another $66,500,000 for a total of approximately $81,000,000 that have been identified as potential projects," Walters said.
District staff also presented a preliminary estimate of about $47 million for construction or major renovations at Sunnyside High School, bringing the draft program cost to roughly $128 million. The plan proposes using District Additional Assistance (the capital override approved by voters), School Facilities Division funding where available, other district funds and bond proceeds if voters approve a bond.
Why it matters: Board members and district leaders emphasized the scale and age of the district's facilities. Chief operating remarks and the facility condition assessment data show most sites rate poorly; the board was told that the district's average school age is nearly 40 years and the district has multiple sites in "poor" or "very poor" condition.
Dr. Abel Morado, chief operations officer, said the facility condition index provides a road map to prioritize projects and that mechanical systems are the largest single category of need. The presentation broke identified needs into categories (mechanical, roofing, low-voltage/fire systems, playgrounds, demolition of obsolete portables, irrigation and athletic field work) and included recommended action steps such as keeping consultant continuity, matching funding to priority needs and phasing work over multiple years.
Board members stressed transparency and fairness in allocating funds. Board Member Castellano thanked voters who approved the district's override and said the district must be transparent about how those dollars are spent; he also reiterated that emergencies will arise and can shift priorities. "We have 21 sites. The average age of our sites is nearly 40 years. Our oldest school is gonna be 70 years this year," Castellano said.
Several board members and staff said work already completed this year (roofing assessments, playground upgrades, portable demolition, HVAC contract management and other projects) demonstrate progress and will inform a longer bond proposal. If the district pursues a bond, staff said proceeds would not be available immediately and construction timing would reflect expected cash flow and state reimbursement schedules.
Ending: The five-year capital improvement plan was presented for information and community input; no bond election was scheduled at the meeting. Staff said next steps include refining the plan, continuing community forums and preparing public materials that explain how override and bond dollars would be used.
