Facilities committee recommends bond to upgrade HVAC districtwide, rebuild Wenatchee High School on existing site

A facilities committee convened by the Wenatchee School District superintendent is recommending that the district seek voter approval of a bond to fund HVAC replacement across the district and the construction of a new Wenatchee High School on the existing site.

The committee, which met nine times over 15 months and included community members, district staff and external consultants, finalized two recommendations: complete HVAC upgrades at required locations across the district, and build a new high school on the current high school campus. Hillary Martinez, a parent and Wenatchee Valley College employee who served on the committee, told the board that the group “settled on our final 2 recommendations” after touring facilities and reviewing operational and educational needs.

Why it matters: committee members said failing to upgrade HVAC systems affects teaching and learning and risks rising repair costs and regulatory penalties. The district will also face Clean Energy Transformation Act requirements, the committee said, and told the board that missing a plan could trigger fines beginning with the high school.

Key details and cost estimates - The committee estimated a total program cost of $372,875,900 using a midpoint construction methodology tied to a notional 2029 construction midpoint and applying inflation assumptions built into that model. The committee stated the estimate applies if the district pursued a bond in 2026 with construction occurring in the late 2020s. - The committee reported state staff funding reimbursement of up to $79,000,000 for the new high school, which it said would cover about 25% of the build; applying that reimbursement reduced the committee’s stated bond request to roughly $295,000,000. - The committee recommended a 15-year flat-rate bond, which it summarized as “a 15 year flat rate bond for a dollar 48 increase.” The committee said a shorter, flat repayment term was preferred over 20- or 25-year options because longer terms introduced variable rates.

What the committee emphasized - HVAC as a near-term priority: the committee said recurring annual maintenance is already consuming hundreds of thousands of dollars and that deferred HVAC replacement will drive higher repair and compliance costs. Martinez said, “children can't learn, teachers can't teach without basic needs being met,” when describing how heat and cold affect learning conditions. - Rebuilding Wenatchee High School on the existing site: after touring the high school, the committee concluded a new building on the current campus was needed rather than a smaller renovation. The committee discussed two conceptual models—one that replaced all facilities on the footprint and one that modernized the gym and natatorium while replacing the rest of the campus. The presentation emphasized keeping students on site during construction if possible and noted that fields would be unavailable while on-site construction proceeded. - Timeline: consultants advised the board that, if the district pursued a November 2026 vote, design and pre-bond work could take about a year and construction could run into 2029–2031, making 2029 a practical midpoint for cost estimating. One consultant summarized: if the district went to voters in November 2026, construction sequencing could start in 2028 with a midpoint around 2029 and completion into 2030–31.

Board and next steps - The board did not take a bond vote at the June 24 meeting. District staff outlined steps the board would take before a bond measure—board consideration of the committee’s recommendation, development of a bond resolution, and formation of a bond committee—and emphasized additional design and community engagement would be required before a ballot measure. - The committee and consultants stressed that renderings shown were conceptual and would require detailed architectural and educational-design work, including community input and educational-architecture planning to integrate program needs with building design.

Clarifying details extracted from the presentation: cost estimate $372,875,900; state staff funding reimbursement up to $79,000,000; committee bond request after reimbursement approximately $295,000,000; committee met 9 times across 15 months; committee recommended a 15-year flat-rate bond; construction midpoint assumption 2029; building completion window discussed as 2030–31.

Ending: The board invited further work, including a future workshop to review plans and to refine timelines and costs. Consultants and committee members said they would support board questions and continue community-facing planning ahead of any formal decision to run a bond.