Mount Vernon City School District leaders were presented with a last‑minute OFCC master plan packet and told they must return a signed resolution by Nov. 26 if the district wants to remain in line for state construction funding.

At the school board meeting, the superintendent said the packet arrived the morning of the Nov. 24 meeting and asked trustees to authorize the district treasurer to sign and return the resolution via DocuSign within two days. "They sent it to us this morning and, they want us to get it back to them by the November 26," the superintendent told trustees, summarizing the tight turnaround.

Why it matters: the packet describes a segmented project that would build three new K‑5 elementary schools and renovate Mount Vernon High School. The superintendent cited a total project cost of $107,000,000, with the packet listing a state share of $38,000,000 and an indicated local share figure that the staff discussed in the meeting. The superintendent also said OFCC itemized approximately $18,000,000 in items (described in the packet as 'LFIs') that the state will not co‑fund, such as certain fire suppression and communications upgrades, which would increase the district's out‑of‑pocket work if accepted.

Board members pressed for detail and clarification on how a referenced credit affected state and local shares. The packet, the superintendent said, reduced the project total to $99,000,000 after accounting for an unspecified credit; that brought some local‑share calculations to about $61,000,000, though trustees called for clearer documentation. One trustee asked for an example of an LFI; the superintendent cited structural and systems upgrades such as wiring and communications.

The superintendent noted procedural timing if the board decides to move forward: once OFCC approves the master plan, the district would have about 16 months to raise its local share (most likely through a bond issue) and meet ballot commission deadlines to appear on a May ballot. "We have 16 months, if we're moving forward to raise our share of the money," the superintendent said, emphasizing the compressed schedule for financial planning and potential voter action.

The board moved to approve the business services package — which included participation in the OFCC segmented program and signing the resolution — and carried the motion by roll call during the meeting. Trustees said they would follow up with the staff to review the 217‑page packet, identify the specific LFIs, and request additional explanation of the credit and state/local share calculations before any further commitments.

What happens next: the district will return the signed resolution as requested to maintain its place in the OFCC process, review the LFIs identified in the packet and the financial implications, and—in later meetings—consider whether to place a bond measure before voters if a local share is required.