School board approves $350 million capital projects budget extension tied to voter-approved bond

The University Place School District board on May 18 adopted Resolution 862051326 to extend the district's 2025—26 capital projects fund, a move board members and staff said is intended to create budget capacity as the district begins contracting for three major construction projects.

Alfonso, the district's Executive Director of Business Services, told the board the extension would increase the capital projects fund from about $7 million to $357 million — a $350 million capacity increase that includes the $295 million bond approved by voters in February plus an estimated $60 million in additional state funding. "We are asking for a $350 million budget increase to our capital projects fund," Alfonso said, explaining the change is to allow the district to issue multi-year contracts and purchase orders without exceeding budget authority.

Alfonso and other presenters emphasized the extension is a budget capacity action, not authorization to begin construction or sign final contracts. "This does not give us the authority to go and build the buildings and sign all the contracts," Alfonso said; individual contracts, bids and expenditures will continue to come back to the board for approval.

Board members and audience members heard how the district plans to use the capacity. The district intends to proceed with three concurrent projects — Curtis High School, Chambers Primary and Sunset — and to begin negotiations with architects, contractors, traffic engineers, project managers and vendors. Alfonso said the district expects to issue several series of bond sales over the projects' timelines, with an initial bond sale likely in June to begin funding the work.

Superintendent Chamberlain provided supplemental project context, saying the district has selected Beteti/Betti Architects for the high school project and held a kickoff meeting. Chamberlain said the district is also finalizing a preferred delivery model for the high school called GCCM (general contractor-construction manager), which brings contractor expertise earlier in design; the district expects to present the GCCM application to the project review committee on May 27 or 28.

Public commenters including a scout from Troop 294 and residents asked how the projects will benefit the broader community. Presenters said new facilities will serve students for decades and remain available for community rental, and that new buildings are expected to last 50 to 75 years if designed and maintained properly.

After presentation and a short public-question period, the board reconvened and moved to adopt Resolution 862051326 to extend the 2025—26 capital projects fund budget. The chair called for the vote and announced assent; the motion passed as moved and seconded.

The board's action provides the district with capacity to enter multi-year commitments and to manage bond sales and contracting timelines. Board members and staff stressed that each contract, bid and expenditure still must return to the board for separate approval.

What happens next: staff will begin contract negotiations and bring individual contracts, purchase orders and bond-sale recommendations to the board for approval at future meetings.