Hollister School District trustees this week discussed priorities for a $28.5 million facilities bond and approved a contract for bond counsel services.
At the next regularly scheduled school board meeting June 24, they are set to make a decision on whether to authorize an election for the bond or consolidate it with the Nov. 4 election.
“I think, really, a lot of what we’re looking at is modernization,” said Superintendent Gary McIntire, as he reflected on the proposed bond.
The bond would chip away at a list of $150 million worth of modernization and capital improvement projects in the district, which include bringing sites up to code with the American Disabilities Act and setting aside money for a new school to address a growing population.
School trustees reviewed the list of projects and paused when they saw that new facility needs for Sunnyslope School were $14.6 million, while the cost of building a new school in the same area was $21 million.
“I see the price of the new school and we’re talking a $7 million difference (between the new school and Sunnyslope),” said Trustee Ben Flores. “If we’re going to spend $14 million at Sunnyslope, why not just build a new school?”
Flores suggested making the new school a K-8 school instead of investing money in new buildings at two different sites in the same part of town.
“That’s a great point and that’s why we’re currently going to be working with some architects,” said John Teliha, the district’s director of maintenance, operations and warehouse services. Teliha added that he hopes to bring a contract for an architect to the board soon.
To place the bond on the November ballot, the trustees must send a resolution to the county elections office and the county superintendent at least 88 days before the election, or by August 8.
Consolidating district elections with state or local elections allows the school district to share the expenses of the election instead of paying for everything alone.
At least two-thirds of the district’s five person board – or at least four people – must vote in favor of the resolution to put it on the ballot.
In preparation for a potential bond, trustees approved a contract for the law firm Lozano Smith to provide legal counsel for the bond.
The contract for the first issuance of bonds included a flat fee of $50,000 plus $1,500 for incidentals. The district gets to decide how many issuances of they bond it does and each additional issuance comes with a flat fee of $40,000 with $1,500 for incidentals.
The exact list of priority projects for the bond is still being defined, but McIntire said high on the list is refurbishing the district’s oldest site, R.O. Harden Elementary school.
School district officials hope to supplement money received from a bond with state matching grants to get further along in their $150 million list of district projects.
BOND BREAKDOWN
The Hollister School District came up with a list of $150 million worth of desired facilities improvements and capital projects. Here’s the proposed spending, by school site:
*Estimated costs for existing facility needs:
Rancho San Justo: $16.4
Marguerite Maze: $13.4 Million
R.O. Hardin: $12.7 Million
Sunnyslope: $11.9 Million
Cerra Vista: $9.8 Million
Gabilan Hills / Hollister Dual Language Academy: $9.7 Million
Calaveras / Accelerated Achievement Academy: $9 Million
Ladd Lane: $8.4 Million
*Estimated costs for new facility needs:
New School: $21 million
Sunnyslope: $14.6 Million
Calaveras / Accelerated Achievement Academy: $5.6 Million
Cerra Vista: $5.6 Million
R.O. Hardin: $4.5 Million
Rancho San Justo: 4.1 Million
Marguerite Maze: $2 million
Gabilan Hills / Hollister Dual Language Academy: $1.4 Million
*Estimates include soft costs
