Washington Elementary board reviews bond and override spending, outlines campus safety and renovation plans

Tim Woodward, capital project manager for Washington Elementary School District, presented an update on the district’s override expenditures and bond-funded capital projects at the board’s Oct. 24 special meeting. He said override funds prioritized programs not covered by the state—art, music, PE and full-day kindergarten—and summarized completed and planned bond projects focused on safety, building systems and site improvements.

Woodward told the board that safety upgrades already completed include securing front offices and applying bullet-resistant safety film to glass. He said upcoming bond-funded work will include fire-alarm and burglar-system upgrades, technology infrastructure, parking-lot repairs and targeted renovations. On financing, he reported that voters authorized $98 million in 2016 and $135 million in 2022; all 2016-authorized bonds were sold as of March 2021, and $30 million of the 2022 proceeds had been received by June 2024. He also said district staff are working with the district’s financial agent on a planned bond sale in March 2025.

"These numbers are a trickle down of how they were prioritized," Woodward said, explaining that the district places programs not funded by the state at the top of override spending. Danny O'Brien, participating virtually, added that the pamphlet voters saw places the educational categories first and that full-day kindergarten receives override support because the state funds only half-day kindergarten.

Woodward listed specific upcoming projects: a comprehensive renovation at the Maryland campus including new HVAC, lighting and insulation; parking-lot sealing and resurfacing across sites; a single-lane bus/drop-off loop planned for Desert Foothills to improve safety; weatherization and flooring rotations driven by the district’s asset-planner system; and HVAC replacement at Lookout Mountain where equipment is reaching end-of-life. He also noted non-bond funding sources the district uses to stretch capital dollars, including unrestricted capital, School Facilities Division building renewal grants, federal food-service funds, the E-rate program for technology, and property-and-casualty insurance proceeds after storm damage.

Board member Miss Peterson thanked staff for careful stewardship and underscored community support for the override and bond measures. She criticized the state legislature’s level of school funding, saying local voters have had to provide additional support so programs like art and music can continue.

The board recessed the public hearing by motion and proceeded to the scheduled study session on goals and guardrails. Woodward’s presentation and the listed funding sources will inform project planning and community materials ahead of future bond-related actions.