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Board gets updates on Highland High rebuild, Bench Road vacate and a planned structural evaluation of Washington School
Summary
Board members heard detailed project and site-access updates on the Highland High rebuild (groundbreaking scheduled; Bench Road vacate moving to city council) and approved a $9,000 structural evaluation for Washington School with destructive testing planned for June and a report due in July.
Board members received an operations update on the Highland High rebuild, related property access, and an ad hoc review of Washington School’s condition.
Jonathan (business operations) told trustees the Highland groundbreaking is scheduled for noon the next day and that the district is pursuing a city action to vacate a portion of Bench Road; the city council is scheduled to consider the vacate on April 3 with a likely vote April 17. Jonathan said GIS records show the small Bench Road parcel is currently listed as Bannock County property and that the district is coordinating easements for utilities (Idaho Power) and potential emergency access. He explained that state-required reporting and accounting require revenue to be received in one fund and then transferred to the capital fund (fund 410) for expenditures related to the rebuild.
On Washington School, the board’s ad hoc committee solicited structural services proposals and selected a vendor to perform a structural evaluation for approximately $9,000. Jonathan said the assessment will include limited destructive testing to inspect joists and other structural connections; that work is planned for June when students are not in the building, and a report is expected by mid-July. Board members and the administration discussed surveying current staff for operational insights, the history of the property’s zoning (educational/residential), and the need to gather factual structural data before deciding whether to pursue rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, or decommissioning.
Trustees asked follow-up questions about easements, potential right-turn/median modifications associated with site access, and whether costs for sidewalks or utility work would fall to the district; administrators said those items are still under review and will be clarified with the city and county. The update emphasized the district’s intent to keep neighbors informed and to complete necessary due diligence before committing to larger capital expenditures.
The board did not take a final policy vote on property disposition at this meeting; the $9,000 evaluation was characterized as an operational expenditure to inform future board decisions.
