San Benito High School District administrators hope to have a
bond on the ballot by November 2008 to pay for building additions
and, potentially, a new school.
Hollister – San Benito High School District administrators hope to have a bond on the ballot by November 2008 to pay for building additions and, potentially, a new school.
But before officials go forward with the bond, they say they need to research how receptive Hollister residents would be to a general obligation bond, and what exactly the money would go toward.
“You don’t go forward with a bond in this state unless you’ve tested the waters first,” said Director of Finance and Operations Jim Koenig.
The San Benito High School Board of Trustees will vote at Wednesday’s board meeting on the hiring of a research group – Fairbank, Maslin, Maulin & Associates – to conduct a survey to determine the level of support for a bond. Trustees will also look into whether the community would be more supportive of a bond to pay for updating the current school – or one to build a second high school.
Koenig said it was important that the district take steps to find out the feasibility of floating a bond by the 2008 election before the money is potentially spent on a campaign.
“The fact of the matter is, if we’re going to get anything done, we have to start now,” Koenig said. “If we’re actually going to do this in 2008, we really need to get all our ducks lined up.”
The need for a bond came from the Facilities Master Planning Committee – which both Koenig and Superintendent Stan Rose are a part of, as well as various community members. The committee determined it would be necessary to seek alternative means of paying for updates and construction to accommodate future growth.
“To update our facilities, it will take a lot of money,” Koenig said.
Still, Koenig said it’s uncertain whether Hollister citizens would pass a bond.
Trustee Mary Encinias said while she still hadn’t made the decision on her own stance on the bond, she knew it might be difficult to convince Hollister residents, those without children, that it’s an important measure to pass.
“We need to figure out a way to let people know, even the people that aren’t directly affected, that it will impact them, too,” Encinias said.
In addition to finding out who will support a bond through surveys and research, Koenig said it will be necessary to find out what type of bond they will vote for.
“We have a big issue in this town, and that big issue is: Will Hollister ever have two high schools?” Koenig said. “We need to find out where the community really stands on this.”
Koenig said in simply talking to people, he has realized the extent to which the community is divided. He said some people voice that the second high school should have been built a decade ago, and others say Hollister needs to remain a one high school town.
This will be one of the primary objectives of hiring the group to conduct the survey. If hired, the research group will do scientific studies and polling to determine where the community stands, Koenig said.
The studies will cost the district about $6,500 a month, not to exceed a $30,000 total.
Superintendent Stan Rose did not return calls Monday for this story.
