School Bond Proposal Aimed At `Biggest Hurts’

The Central Valley school board held a special meeting Monday to discuss the bond proposal recommended by the district’s buildings supervisor, Dave Jackman.

The proposal, the latest in a series aimed at easing the district’s space shortage, includes money to build an elementary school at Liberty Lake and renovate Bowdish Junior High School.

District voters rejected a $36.9 million bond proposal last March.

Most of the money from that bond would have been used to remodel and expand the district’s two high schools.

Board member Gary Hann said the newest plan addresses two of the district’s “biggest hurts” - crowding at the elementary level and a deteriorating Bowdish.

The district buses nearly 250 elementary students from the Liberty Lake and Greenacres areas to other schools because Greenacres Elementary is full.

Bowdish hasn’t been remodeled in many years.

Jackman’s plan, which hasn’t been finalized, suggests three designs for the new elementary school.

One is for a school that could hold 450 students. Another calls for a school of 450 with the capability of being expanded to 600. The third is for a school of 600.

Cost of the project would range from a low of $7.5 million to a high of $9.5 million.

There was debate at Monday’s meeting about the benefits of all three.

Board member Linda Tompkins said she feels the district should consider the 600-student school.

“We could be up for criticism if we only build it for 450, and we have to come back in two years and ask for money to expand it,” Tompkins said. “Growth out in the Liberty Lake area is explosive right now.”

Board president Kay Bryant said the district could be in trouble if it built the school for 600 and that growth never materialized.

“I don’t want to build a school for 600 and have classrooms sitting empty,” Bryant said. “We’ll get just as much criticism for that.”

At Bowdish, Jackman has proposed adding a new roof, air conditioning and the equipment necessary for connecting all the school’s computers together.

Work there would cost about $7.6 million.

The remaining bond money would pay for things like roof and parking lot repairs, the cost of selling the bonds and other district needs.

Board members plan to refine the proposal over the coming months. They will discuss the bond again at their first meeting in March and may survey district residents about their preferences.

An election could come in September or November.