Task force backs $6.3 million package; district plans outreach ahead of June 9 referendum

A school-district task force endorsed a pared-down $6,300,000 referendum package focused on replacing the high-school HVAC system and remodeling and expanding the elementary-school kitchen, presenters said at a virtual meeting convened to prepare outreach before the June 9 vote.

The recommendation—produced after the district commissioned a survey—reflects a strategy to keep the ballot measure below a $7 million threshold the consultant said has a better than 60% chance of passing. "A smaller referendum under 7,000,000 has a percentage over 60," Presenter Travis said while showing the survey slide; he added the $6.3 million base plan polled just above 59% in the firm's work and that the board decided to place the package on the ballot.

Why it matters: The task force pared an earlier, larger package to what members called the district's "nonnegotiables"—the HVAC upgrades and the kitchen—after an earlier, broader referendum failed. Presenters said the smaller package aims to lower the tax impact and increase voter support while addressing immediate facility needs.

Presenters and committee members discussed technical and communications details the district will include in outreach. The district will provide a redacted "true and full" tax statement and an online calculator so residents can estimate what the referendum would cost them, Travis said: "It's already ready to go... that'll be on your website so people know exactly where to go to find their true and full value." Committee members urged visuals—photos or drawings of the kitchen work and, to the extent possible, graphics about HVAC disruption—so voters can visualize construction impacts.

On cost and code: Presenters cautioned that kitchen remodeling could trigger fire-suppression requirements, while HVAC work alone is less likely to do so. Kyle said the architect and code officials are checking the scope; "from what we understand, it's fire suppression in the kitchen itself," Kyle said, and the team intends to clarify that before public meetings.

Timing and construction sequencing: If voters approve the bond, presenters outlined a preliminary schedule that would put bidding in late 2026 or early 2027 and begin construction in 2027. Kyle said HVAC replacement will most likely be staged across two school years to maintain safe learning environments, while the kitchen could be completed in a single summer depending on final design and contracting.

Legal limits on advocacy: Presenters reminded members that the district cannot use school resources to advocate for a "yes" or "no" vote, but it can distribute factual, board‑approved informational materials about the referendum. "We will want to encourage people to vote, but not how to vote," Kyle said, and presenters advised the committee to keep outreach materials fact-based and neutral where produced or paid for with school resources.

Next steps: Public informational meetings will begin in May (the first scheduled the week of May 11), additional sessions will follow, and the district will post materials on social media and email ahead of the June 9 vote. Presenters agreed to supply the committee with slide decks and an FAQ and invited members to appear at community presentations to answer questions. A committee member asked for the PowerPoint for committee records; Travis agreed to email the slides to members' school accounts.

No vote on the bond occurred during the meeting; the district and consultant said they will finalize outreach materials and technical clarifications, including any confirmed scope for fire suppression, before public presentations.