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Merced Union High leaders outline roughly $200 million in campus needs and begin bond planning
Summary
District fiscal staff told the board that campus repair and CTE facility needs total roughly $200–210 million, that available funds total about $25–30 million (with $15 million reserved for CTE matches), and recommended community outreach and surveys if trustees want to pursue a facilities bond.
Dr. Waimer, the district fiscal and facilities lead, told the Merced Union High Board that the district faces large capital needs—roughly $35 million per major campus and about $210 million across prioritized projects—while available cash stands near $25–$30 million and about $15 million must be held to match potential CTE grants.
Why it matters: Waimer said the governor's 2026–27 budget proposal includes a 2.41% COLA for education but flagged an $18 billion statewide gap driven by spending choices. He warned that proposed changes to school funding formulas (enrollment-based versus ADA) could reduce the district’s share because Merced's attendance rate is relatively high, and that without new revenue the district cannot cover the facilities backlog.
Board members heard specifics on current projects: the El Capitan stadium is completed and in use, a district business park is on track for handover in June, and the Golden Valley pool is in Department of State Architect design and would likely be out of service for about a year during construction. Waimer said the district will pilot new access control systems (card keys, cameras) at the business park before wider deployment.
On CTE funding, Waimer noted that district applications for a state CTE facility matching grant are under review: projects that advance in March would still not be confirmed as funded until later in the year, and the district must reserve matching funds if projects are approved. He said the grant pipeline and matching requirements could lock up $12–$15 million of currently available funds.
Trustees asked about timeline and community engagement if the district pursues a bond. Waimer said preliminary work—stakeholder surveys, advisory committees and community outreach—must begin quickly for a November ballot option, with most board-level decisions likely occurring in April–May to meet later ballot timelines. He asked trustees for guidance to proceed with community surveys and preparatory outreach; trustees asked staff to return with options and plans.
What the board did: No formal bond measure was placed on the agenda for a vote. Trustees asked staff to prepare information and community-engagement plans so the board can decide whether to advance a bond in a future meeting.
Sources and evidence: Waimer presented budget and project estimates to the board during the fiscal and facilities report (board meeting transcript).
