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Sunnyside presents five-year capital plan with $81M in repairs; bond could fund Sunnyside High rebuild
Summary
District staff outlined a draft five‑year capital improvement plan identifying about $81 million in immediate and deferred repairs and estimating $128 million if a proposed Sunnyside High construction ($47M) is included; officials signaled a potential bond measure and outlined funding sources and timelines.
District staff presented a draft five‑year capital improvement plan (CIP) that identifies immediate repairs and deferred maintenance across Sunnyside Unified School District sites and outlines options for using district additional assistance (the capital override), school facilities division funds and a potential voter bond.
Carla Walters and Dr. Abel Morado led the briefing and cited a facility condition assessment conducted by H2 Group and consultants. Walters said the assessment identified approximately $14,500,000 in immediate repairs and $66,500,000 in deferred maintenance for years two through five — a combined $81,000,000 in needs districtwide. Consultants projected an additional $47,000,000 in estimated costs for new construction at Sunnyside High School; Walters said that brought a notional total to about $128,000,000 when construction and other categories are included.
Walters and Morado emphasized mechanical systems and building systems as the largest contributors to need (about two‑thirds of the $81 million figure), and they described a prioritization framework using facility condition index (FCI) scores, equity considerations, and safety/security categories. Staff noted that bond proceeds, if voters approve a bond now, would not be available until 2026–27; in the interim the district would use override funds and other sources for immediate repairs and plan a phased approach for longer projects.
Board members and staff discussed operational limits and contingency planning: trustees cautioned that the CIP must include space for emergency repairs (leaking roofs, failed HVAC units) that can displace planned projects. Facilities staff described work completed this year — demolition of seven portables, irrigation and playground projects, roofing assessments — and said additional work was scheduled, including removal of two more degraded portables and a planned parking lot at Ocotillo. Staff also noted coordination with city crews on a hazardous wash behind Ocotillo and concerns about adjacent homeless encampments.
Walters asked the community to support outreach and public engagement if a bond is pursued, and she said the district wants to retain consultants familiar with Sunnyside to guide the multi‑year program. The presentation concluded with budget snapshots by year and category and a commitment to publish project tracking information online.
Next steps: staff will continue CIP drafting, refine year‑by‑year allocations, coordinate community engagement around a possible bond, and present follow‑up information to the board and public.
